Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam's dramatic 3–2 victory over the UAE in the final Group C match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers has created a major buzz across Southeast Asian media.
The historic win not only secured Vietnam’s first-ever berth at the FIFA U17 World Cup, but also drew widespread admiration from football commentators and media outlets in Thailand and Indonesia.
Following the match, numerous newspapers and football platforms praised the resilience and fighting spirit displayed by coach Cristiano Roland and his players.
Thai journalist Jay Worapath described Vietnam’s performance as remarkably courageous in a high-pressure encounter against the UAE. On his personal social media page, he said the 3–2 comeback victory reflected the maturity and mental strength of Vietnam’s young generation of players.
According to Worapath, Vietnamese football is continuing to affirm its leading position in Southeast Asia at the youth level, with development built on increasingly systematic investment in youth training rather than short-term success.
Thailand-based football platform AEC Football also closely followed the match and described the victory as a historic night for Vietnamese football.
The outlet particularly praised Vietnam’s never-give-up spirit after conceding just 18 seconds into the game. Instead of panicking, the Vietnamese players maintained composure, pressed aggressively and continuously put pressure on the UAE defence before launching an impressive comeback.
Indonesian media also paid close attention as Vietnam became the only Southeast Asian representative to qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026.
Indonesia’s Seasia Goal called the achievement a historic milestone for Vietnamese football, stressing that it marked the first time Vietnam’s youth team had qualified for the world’s biggest football tournament at the U17 level.
Indonesian newspaper Tribun Pontianak highlighted Vietnam’s superior match statistics, saying the Southeast Asian side fully deserved the win after controlling most of the game.
According to the report, Vietnam enjoyed 63% possession, registered 12 shots and recorded a higher expected goals (xG) figure than the UAE. The team also held advantages in corners, passing accuracy and shots inside the penalty area.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Kompas noted that Vietnam finished top of Group C ahead of the RoK, considered one of the tournament favourites before the competition.
The newspaper added that Vietnam’s next challenge will be a quarter-final clash with Australia. However, regardless of the knockout-stage result, Vietnamese football already has reason to celebrate after securing its first-ever ticket to the FIFA U17 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar this November.
The achievement of coach Cristiano Roland and his players is seen not only as a sporting milestone, but also as evidence of the steady progress of Vietnamese youth football in recent years.
After successes at U20, U23 and senior national team levels over the past decade, Vietnam has now continued to make its mark on the global U17 stage, while gradually narrowing the gap with Asia’s leading football nations./.
