Indonesia, 24 April 2026 – Head coach Cristiano Roland had warned his players not to be complacent despite two previous 4–0 wins over Malaysia, including one in the group stage. Youth football can be unpredictable, but that was not the case in this matchup. In the final rematch, Vietnam once again dominated from start to finish, securing a convincing victory on Indonesian soil.
Vietnam began the match on the front foot, forcing Malaysia deep into defense. Within the first five minutes, they created two chances, including a long-range effort from Le Sy Bach. The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Dao Quy Vuong reacted quickest to a corner-kick scramble, firing through a crowded box to open the scoring.
Roland’s side maintained full control with composed and confident play. Just before halftime, they increased the tempo and were rewarded in stoppage time when Nguyen Van Duong scored from a tight angle to double the lead.
Although Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc did not score in this match, Van Duong stepped up with a brace, completing it early in the second half to bring his tournament tally to six goals. In the 55th minute, substitute Tri Dung set him up for a simple finish. The goal was initially ruled offside but later awarded after a VAR review.
Vietnam had several chances to extend the scoreline further, but missed opportunities kept it at three. Malaysia, meanwhile, struggled to create any real threat as their key attackers were effectively neutralized.
With this victory, Vietnam became the first team to win the tournament four times, surpassing Thailand and Australia to become the most successful side in the competition’s history, adding to their previous titles in 2006, 2010, and 2017.
Vietnam’s triumph was emphatic, scoring 19 goals and conceding just once—the best record in the tournament. Goalkeeper Ly Xuan Hoa was named Best Goalkeeper, while Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc won the Best Player award with four goals.
The team will now take a short break before heading to Saudi Arabia for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup, where the top eight teams will qualify for the U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.
VSN/RPT
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