"The Vietnam U17 team will fight with all their might to go further."

VHO - Ahead of the quarter-final match against U17 Australia at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship, head coach Cristiano Roland stated that the Vietnam U17 team is feeling confident and in high spirits after achieving their goal of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup.

Coach Cristiano Roland maintains a relaxed atmosphere for the Vietnam U17 team ahead of the crucial quarter-final match.

The Brazilian coach affirmed that the entire team will continue to maintain unity, organization, and the highest level of determination to pursue the opportunity to advance further in the tournament.

Speaking before the training session on May 15th in Jeddah, coach Cristiano Roland said that reaching the quarter-finals and securing a ticket to the FIFA U17 World Cup had given the young players a great boost in motivation.

"The players are in a very positive and confident mood after what they have achieved. What pleases me most is not just the result, but also the sense of responsibility, discipline, and organization that the whole team maintained throughout the tournament," said the Brazilian strategist.

The Vietnamese U17 players displayed a relaxed and confident atmosphere during their training session before the quarter-final match.

In the quarter-finals, Vietnam U17 will face Australia U17 again, the opponent that Cristiano Roland's team lost to 1-2 in the semi-finals of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship. However, the coach born in 1976 believes that the current Australian youth team has undergone many changes and possesses very high professional quality.

"We've faced them before, but the current U17 Australian team is stronger and significantly different. This will certainly be a very difficult match. The most important thing for the U17 Vietnam team is to play to the best of their ability and maintain focus throughout the game," he assessed.

According to coach Cristiano Roland, after achieving their World Cup goal, the coaching staff quickly brought the players back to focus on preparing for the knockout rounds. He believes that the recent experiences are valuable lessons for the young players as they participate in the continent's major tournament for the first time.

Coach Cristiano Roland directly adjusted the tactics for the Vietnam U17 team during their training session in Jeddah.

"This is the first time many players have experienced the feeling of competing in such a major tournament. The recent matches, especially the victory against the UAE U17 team, have given them many lessons about psychology, resilience, and how to overcome pressure," shared coach Cristiano Roland.

The Brazilian coach also emphasized that the key factor for the Vietnam U17 team at the moment is still team spirit. According to him, against strong opponents in the knockout round, only unity, organization, and the ability to maintain good team formation will help the Vietnam U17 team create a competitive advantage.

"Every team in this round is very strong. If we can't maintain focus and fighting spirit as a unified team, we will face many difficulties. The players understand that after everything they've been through since the beginning of the tournament," he added.

Concluding the interview, coach Cristiano Roland affirmed that the Vietnam U17 team will enter the match with the highest determination.

"Having the opportunity to advance, we will do our best to seize it. I hope the whole team will bring their current positive energy into the match and give their all on the field," emphasized the head coach of the Vietnam U17 team.

Vietnam U17 is ready for the clash with Australia U17 in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U17 Championship.

During the training session on the afternoon of May 15th in Jeddah, the coaching staff continued to prioritize recovery exercises and adjusting the players' physical condition after the high-intensity group stage matches. The training atmosphere was quite relaxed but still ensured the necessary focus before the important match.

According to the schedule, the quarter-final match between Vietnam U17 and Australia U17 will take place at 8 PM local time on May 16th (0 AM on May 17th Vietnam time). According to the tournament regulations, if the two teams are tied after 90 minutes of regular time, they will proceed directly to a penalty shootout to determine which team advances to the semi-finals.

Despite the many challenges ahead, the journey of the Vietnam U17 team at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship has shown remarkable maturity in a generation of ambitious young players.

From securing a ticket to the FIFA U17 World Cup to demonstrating unwavering fighting spirit against strong opponents, coach Cristiano Roland and his team are gradually building a crucial foundation for the future of Vietnamese football.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/u17-viet-nam-se-chien-dau-het-minh-de-di-xa-hon-228332.html