Despite their best efforts, the Vietnam U19 national team couldn’t pull off an upset against host China U19 in their opening match of the U19 International Tournament 2024, held on the evening of June 4 in Wei Nan, Shaanxi.
Playing on their home ground, China U19 started the match strongly, pressing high and asserting their dominance early on. Utilizing their physical advantage, the hosts engaged in aggressive pressing and tight marking to seize control of the game from the outset.
Vietnam U19 faced early adversity, conceding a goal in just the 10th minute. A defensive mishap saw the Vietnamese backline fail to clear the ball effectively, leaving Wang Yu Dong with the opportunity to strike. His precise long-range shot from outside the penalty box left goalkeeper Pham Dinh Hai with no chance, putting China U19 ahead.
Coach Hua Hien Vinh’s squad struggled to penetrate the Chinese defense, finding it difficult to advance the ball into the opponent’s half. In contrast, the hosts continued to create dangerous chances, putting Vietnam’s defense under consistent pressure.
After their early goal, China U19 maintained their momentum and fashioned several clear-cut opportunities to extend their lead. However, their finishing let them down, and Pham Dinh Hai’s excellent goalkeeping kept Vietnam in the game. In the 36th minute, Liu Cheng Yu found himself one-on-one with Dinh Hai but failed to beat the Vietnamese shot-stopper.
The second half saw a more determined Vietnam U19 side. They put in a spirited performance and showed more attacking intent. With central penetration proving ineffective, the Vietnamese team opted for more wing play to threaten the Chinese goal. Despite this tactical adjustment, the chances they created lacked the quality needed to find the back of the net. The most notable moment for Vietnam came in the 74th minute when Cong Phuong’s free-kick from the edge of the box was acrobatically saved by the Chinese goalkeeper.
Ultimately, Vietnam U19 succumbed to a narrow 1-0 defeat against China U19. Looking ahead, they will face South Korea U19 on June 8, where they hope to bounce back and secure a positive result.
The match highlighted several areas for improvement for Vietnam U19, particularly in their ability to handle high-press situations and their effectiveness in front of goal. Coach Hua Hien Vinh and his staff will undoubtedly be working on these aspects in training as they prepare for the challenging encounter against South Korea U19.
The tournament provides a crucial platform for Vietnam U19 to gain valuable experience and test themselves against strong international opponents. Despite the defeat, the team remains focused on their development and aims to put on a better performance in the upcoming matches.
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