Goals: Dinh Vy 9’, Manh Quan 21’, Ngoc Son 33’, Duy Khang 37’

On the afternoon of 28/11, Malaysia defeated Singapore 2-1. Following this, Vietnam secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over Macau. These results leave both Vietnam and Malaysia with 12 points, but Vietnam leads Group C due to a superior goal difference of +26 compared to Malaysia’s +20.

Vietnam will face Malaysia in a decisive match on 30/11 at the PVF training center in Hung Yen. Coach Cristiano Roland’s team needs only a draw to secure the top spot in the group and advance to the finals.

Tran Manh Quan (number 19), a forward for Vietnam, scored one goal in the 4-0 victory against Macau at PVF in Hung Yen on 28/11. Photo: Nhu Huynh.

This upcoming encounter continues the long-standing rivalry between the two nations in football. In 2025, Vietnam suffered a 0-4 loss to Malaysia in the final round of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers in June. That match drew significant media and public attention due to allegations that Malaysia used naturalized players with fraudulent documents. In December of the same year, Vietnam is scheduled to meet Malaysia again in Group B of the SEA Games 33 football tournament in Thailand.

Beyond holding the advantage, Vietnam also appears to have a physical edge over their opponent. Malaysia struggled to maintain their 2-1 lead against Singapore, while Vietnam rotated their squad and effectively decided the match against Macau within the first half.

In the 9th minute, Au Kok Man’s poor clearance outside the penalty area allowed Trieu Dinh Vy to seize the opportunity. He broke into the left side of the box and scored the opening goal with a left-footed diagonal shot. Later, in the 33rd minute, Tran Ngoc Son executed a one-two pass on the right flank to enter the penalty area, then scored with a precise right-footed toe poke.

Vietnam’s other two goals, scored in the 21st and 37th minutes, both originated from set-piece corner kicks. First, Tran Manh Quan finished from inside the 5,5-meter box following a scramble. Then, Truong Nguyen Duy Khang rushed to the near post on the left to subtly tap the ball in.

After four matches, Vietnam has scored 26 goals and conceded zero. Malaysia has scored 21 goals and conceded one.

The AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers are taking place from 22/11 to 30/11. Thirty-eight national teams are divided into seven groups, with matches hosted in Vietnam, Thailand, China, India, Myanmar, and Kyrgyzstan. The teams play in a single round-robin format, with the seven group winners advancing.

The finals will be held in Saudi Arabia from 7/5 to 24/5/2026. Nine teams have already secured direct qualification: host Saudi Arabia, along with the eight quarter-finalists from the 2025 edition, which include Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, Qatar, South Korea, Tajikistan, UAE, and Uzbekistan.

The U17 Asian Cup and U17 World Cup tournaments are scheduled to be held annually between 2025 and 2029. Qatar is set to host all five World Cup editions during this period.

Starting lineup for U17 Vietnam:

Chu Ba Huan, Tran Xuan Toan, Nguyen Manh Cuong, Dao Quy Vuong, Nguyen Hiep Dai Viet Nam, Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao, Pham Minh Cuong, Tran Ngoc Son, Truong Nguyen Duy Khang, Trieu Dinh Vy, Tran Manh Quan.

Starting lineup for U17 Macau:

Travis Cheong, Harrison Tang, Tang Tin, Au Kok Man, Sin Chon Hei Nuno, Ng Khuan Hou, Matias Chow, Kuong Chi Hin, Tugla Batu, Si Tou Chi Fung, Chan U Chit.

Hieu Luong