Saudi Arabia, 13 May 2026 – Vietnam produced a historic performance in the early hours of today, defeating UAE 3-2 to qualify for the knockout stage of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup for the third time in history and, more importantly, secure the nation’s first-ever ticket to the FIFA U17 World Cup.
The match carried extra emotion for Vietnam after the painful memory of 2025, when UAE scored a dramatic 87th-minute equalizer in the final group-stage match to eliminate Vietnam and snatch a World Cup place. One year later, the two sides met again in another decisive showdown at King Abdullah Sports City — and this time, Vietnam earned revenge in unforgettable fashion.
Vietnam’s nightmare start came just 16 seconds after kickoff. UAE midfielder Sultan Al Mheri broke into the penalty area and calmly finished past goalkeeper Ly Xuan Hoa to stun the Vietnamese side with one of the fastest goals of the tournament.
Despite conceding so early, coach Cristiano Roland and his players remained composed. Vietnam continued to dominate possession with confident short passing and frequently attacked down the right flank through Le Sy Bach and Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao.
The equalizer finally arrived in the 39th minute from a set-piece. After Nguyen Van Duong won a dangerous free-kick near the edge of the box, Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc curled a precise effort into the corner to make it 1-1.
Vietnam carried their momentum into the second half and quickly turned the game around. Capitalizing on a defensive mistake, Le Trong Dai Nhan delivered a dangerous low cross that Van Duong converted to give Vietnam a 2-1 lead.
UAE responded strongly, with substitute Adam Mahrous producing a brilliant individual goal in the 56th minute to level the score again at 2-2. However, Vietnam refused to let the opportunity slip away. In the 69th minute, defender Nguyen Manh Cuong rose highest from a corner kick and powered a header into the net to restore Vietnam’s advantage.
The remaining minutes were filled with tension as Vietnam shifted into a disciplined defensive setup while looking to counterattack when possible. Encouragement constantly echoed from the bench and stands as players fought to protect their lead.
When the final whistle sounded, Vietnam’s players exploded with emotion, celebrating one of the greatest achievements in the history of Vietnamese youth football.
The victory not only secured Vietnam’s first-ever appearance at the FIFA U17 World Cup, set to take place in Qatar this November, but also marked the first time Vietnam finished top of a group at the AFC U17 Asian Cup. With South Korea drawing 0-0 against Yemen in the other match, Vietnam ended Group C with six points, one ahead of the Koreans.
Vietnam will now face Australia, runners-up of Group D, in the quarter-finals. The two sides last met in April, when Vietnam defeated Australia 2-1 in the semi-finals of the AFF U17 Championship.
VSN/RPT
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