* Goals: Manh Cuong 45’+4, Nguyen Luc 60’ - Becvinovski 10’.

Vietnam secured a spot in the 2026 U17 Southeast Asian Championship final after a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over Australia in their semifinal clash tonight. The win sets up a highly anticipated rematch against Malaysia, who earlier defeated Laos.

The match, held at the Gelora Delta Stadium in Indonesia, pitted two of the tournament's top performers against each other. Both teams entered the semifinal undefeated and had not conceded a goal in the group stage. Vietnam's attack had scored 14 goals, just one fewer than Australia's. This quality led to an eventful first half with numerous scoring opportunities, where both teams conceded their first goals of the tournament.

Vietnam celebrates Nguyen Manh Cuong's (number 3) goal in the fourth minute of first-half added time, during their 2-1 victory over Australia in the 2026 U17 Southeast Asian Championship semifinal at Gelora Delta Stadium in Indonesia on 22/4. _Photo: Doan Huynh_

Australia dominated the first 10 minutes. Captain Miles Milliner narrowly missed with a header in the second minute. Eight minutes later, coach Carl Veart's squad initiated an attack from their own half, requiring only three passes to penetrate Vietnam's penalty area. Luke Becvinovski skillfully turned twice before unleashing a powerful left-footed shot into the top left corner, opening the scoring.

Conceding first did not deter coach Cristiano Roland's team. After settling into the game, Vietnam regained control through the dynamic and skilled attacking quartet of Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc, Nguyen Van Duong, Le Trong Dai Nhan, and Le Sy Bach. They repeatedly exploited gaps in Australia's defense and midfield but lacked precision in their final passes or shots.

In the 37th minute, after surviving a corner kick, Vietnam launched a swift counter-attack. Le Sy Bach sprinted from midfield into the penalty area before being brought down by Oliver O’Carroll's tackle from behind. Initially, referee Yusuke Ohashi awarded a penalty and showed O’Carroll a yellow card, but he reversed his decision after a video review. Replays showed the Australian midfielder touched the ball first, just ahead of Sy Bach.

However, Vietnam did not have to wait long for their equalizer. In the first minute of added time, Dai Nhan's strong drive helped him regain possession in the penalty area, where he was fouled by Marcus Savic. VAR intervened again, and referee Ohashi once more reviewed the footage directly. This time, he pointed to the penalty spot. The drama continued as Dai Nhan's penalty struck the left post, but Nguyen Manh Cuong was quickest to react, heading in the rebound to level the score at 1-1. Amidst his teammates' celebrations, Dai Nhan appeared emotional after missing his initial chance.

The end of the first half also saw Nguyen Huynh Dang Khoa receive a yellow card for a strong tackle on Josef Siroka, drawing angry reactions from the opposing players. Following the half-time whistle, assistant coach Nguyen Dai Dong was also booked after an exchange with an Australian opponent.

Vietnam continued to dictate play in the second half. Dai Nhan's early shot from a tight angle forced Lachlan Allen to save with his foot. In the 57th minute, Sy Bach won a free-kick on the right wing, leading to a textbook team play. Instead of a high cross, Nguyen Minh Thuy delivered a low pass against the opponent's anticipated direction, while Tran Hoang Viet and Nguyen Luc simultaneously dropped back. Australia was further deceived when Hoang Viet feigned a shot, laying the ball off for Luc to strike from close range, increasing the score to 2-1.

This type of goal has become a hallmark of coach Roland's team. It was similar to Sy Bach's goal that made it 2-0 in the 4-0 victory over Malaysia and Tran Ngoc Son's goal in the 10-0 thrashing of Timor Leste, both during the group stage.

In the closing minutes, Vietnam proactively slowed the pace, focusing on defense and counter-attacks. Although they did not score again, Nguyen Luc's run in the fourth minute of added time resulted in Marcus Savic receiving a direct red card for a tackle. Meanwhile, the defense, marshaled by Ly Xuan Hoa, withstood the pressure.

The 2-1 victory brings Vietnam's head-to-head record against Australia in the tournament to 3-3. This marks Vietnam's second consecutive win against the opponent, following a 2-0 victory in the 2017 tournament semifinal. In the earlier semifinal, Malaysia easily defeated Laos 3-0, setting up a rematch with Vietnam in the final on 24/4. On the same day, Australia will compete against Laos for third place.

Starting lineups:

Vietnam: Ly Xuan Hoa, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Nguyen Huynh Dang Khoa, Tran Hoang Viet, Dao Quy Vuong, Nguyen Minh Thuy, Le Trong Dai Nhan, Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc, Nguyen Van Duong, Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao, Le Sy Bach.

Australia: Lachlan Allen, Miles Milliner, Winston Ashburner, Marcus Savic, Sajjad Nasiri, Luka Demuth, Luke Becvinovski, Oliver O’Carroll, Fraser Brown, Akeem Gerald, Josef Sikora.

Hieu Luong