Azerbaijan, 26 Oct 2026 – Vietnam U15 concluded their Group R campaign at the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival 2026 with a 2-1 victory over Guyana on October 26 in Azerbaijan, finishing third in the group and securing a place in Tier C for the next stage of the competition.
Head coach Hoang Anh Tuan’s side made an impressive start to their final group fixture, scoring twice inside the opening seven minutes to establish an early advantage.
Khac Hieu opened the scoring in the fourth minute, giving Vietnam a deserved lead after a positive start. Just three minutes later, Phuoc An doubled the advantage with an impressive backheel finish, putting the Vietnamese youngsters firmly in control at 2-0.
Guyana responded by pushing more players forward in search of a way back into the contest. Their efforts were rewarded in the 15th minute when Jadan converted a penalty to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The goal increased the pressure on Vietnam, who were forced to defend their narrow advantage as Guyana attempted to find an equaliser.
Despite facing several difficult moments, Hoang Anh Tuan’s players maintained their concentration and defensive discipline to preserve the lead until the final whistle.
The 2-1 victory completed a group-stage campaign in which Vietnam recorded three wins and two defeats from five matches.
Vietnam began the tournament with a 6-3 defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina before responding strongly with a 6-0 victory over Brunei and a 4-1 win against Mauritius.
They then suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat to Iran before recovering to beat Guyana in their final Group R encounter.
Those results were enough to secure third place in the group and qualification for the Tier C stage, where Vietnam will continue competing against teams placed in the corresponding category.
Under the FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival 2026 format, teams are allocated to different competitive tiers based on their performances during the opening stage.
They subsequently compete in classification matches to determine their final rankings, with every participating team guaranteed further playing opportunities until the tournament’s conclusion.
The structure is designed to maximise international exposure for young footballers, ensuring that early defeats do not prevent teams from gaining valuable competitive experience.
For Vietnam U15, the five group matches have provided opportunities to face opponents with different physical attributes, tactical approaches and playing styles.
The experience has also allowed the coaching staff to assess the players’ progress in adapting to the tournament’s eight-a-side format, which places greater emphasis on quick decisions, technical execution and individual creativity.
Although Vietnam were unable to finish among the top two teams in Group R, their three victories demonstrated encouraging attacking potential and an ability to respond positively after setbacks.
The team will now turn its attention to the Tier C classification stage, where further matches will offer opportunities to improve tactical understanding, defensive organisation and confidence.
The inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup & Festival 2026 aims to support the long-term development of young footballers through international competition and an inclusive tournament structure.
With their place in Tier C confirmed, Vietnam U15 will continue their campaign in Azerbaijan, seeking to build on the lessons learned during the group stage and gain further experience against international opposition.
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