Goal: Quang Hung 77’.

The match at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia, in the early hours of 7/5 (Hanoi time), pitted two teams who topped their respective qualifying groups with five wins each. The game was open, featuring many attacking plays, but the two sides approached it differently.

Yemen showcased agile and skillful players, capable of creating breakthroughs through dribbling past two or three opponents or with quick counter-attacks. A typical moment occurred in the 10th minute when Haitham Al Faqih shot just wide of the right post from inside the penalty area. This missed opportunity left the forward collapsing to the ground in regret, while teammates on the bench rose in anticipation before slumping back down. In the 25th minute, after goalkeeper Ly Xuan Hoa struggled to parry a long-range shot, Al Faqih pounced on the rebound, striking it with his left foot high over the bar.

Vietnam midfielder Dao Quy Vuong (number 6) covers his face in regret after a missed chance in the 60th minute, during the 1-0 victory over Yemen in the opening match of Group C at the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals at King Abdullah Sports City in Saudi Arabia on 7/5/2026. Photo: Doan Huynh

Yemen also played aggressively, with many fierce tackles that left Vietnamese players on the ground multiple times. This intensified as Indian referee Harish Kundu overlooked several card-worthy incidents. Yemen committed 15 fouls throughout the match, nearly four times that of Vietnam, but received only two yellow cards.

Coach Cristiano Roland’s squad lacked players with exceptional dribbling skills like Yemen. However, Vietnam was superior in discipline, maintaining formation, and creating opportunities through passes, especially behind the opponent's defense.

In the 12th minute, Le Sy Bach dribbled past two Yemeni players on the right flank and delivered a cross, but Le Trong Dai Nhan's shot missed the post. Five minutes later, Nguyen Luc quickly passed from a free-kick behind the defense. A Yemeni defender mishit his clearance, allowing Dai Nhan to control the ball. He then dribbled past a defender, but his left-footed shot hit the side netting.

Yemen started the second half with Mohammed Sadeq's shot from inside the penalty area missing the post in the 52nd minute. Vietnam then responded and came very close to scoring. Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao's shot was pushed away by goalkeeper Al Asbahi, creating chaos within the six-yard box. The ball surprisingly rolled towards the open net, but Akram Kathei cleared it directly to Dao Quy Vuong. From very close range, the Vietnamese midfielder was startled and poked the ball wide of the post, grimacing in disbelief at the missed opportunity.

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After the 70th minute, the match seemed destined for a stalemate as both teams tired, but a moment of brilliance emerged. From the left flank, Nguyen Luc switched flanks with a curling pass into the penalty area. Substitute midfielder Dau Quang Hung took a perfect first touch before finishing with a diagonal shot to open the scoring in the 77th minute. He spread his arms, pouted, and ran to the corner of the pitch to celebrate passionately with his teammates.

For the remainder of the match, Vietnam played tightly to preserve their lead. Yemen used all their substitutions but could not generate sufficient pressure on Ly Xuan Hoa's goal. When referee Kundu blew the final whistle, instead of celebrating, most Vietnamese players knelt and lay on the pitch after an energy-sapping match in the hot Saudi Arabian weather.

This marks Vietnam's first victory at the AFC U17 Asian Cup finals since 2016, ending a streak of five draws and five losses. More importantly, this win opens up a significant opportunity for Cristiano Roland's squad to secure a quarter-final berth and, consequently, a spot in the U17 World Cup.

In their second match, Vietnam will face South Korea on 10/5. Three days later, the team will play UAE.

Starting lineups:

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

Yemen: Wesam Al Asbahi, Ali Al Maghdi, Saber Al Nuaimi, Akram Kathei, Sailan Basheer, Ahmed Aljledy, Mohsen Taleb, Abdulrahman Al Qufaili, Ali Shafeq, Haitham Al Faqih, Mohammed Sadeq.

Hieu Luong