China, 11 May 2026 – Coach Masahiko Okiyama expressed disappointment after Vietnam U17 Women were eliminated by Australia in the quarter-finals of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026, a result that also ended the team’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
Reflecting on the match, the Japanese coach admitted that his players struggled to perform at their usual level during the opening half.
“In the first half, Vietnam could not show our best performance,” Okiyama said. “In the second half, we adjusted the lineup with a more attacking approach to search for goals, but the final situations still lacked the accuracy needed to fully execute our tactical plans.”
The coach described the tournament as a major opportunity for Vietnam to secure a historic World Cup place, making the defeat even more painful.
“This was a very important chance for Vietnam U17 Women to qualify for the U17 Women’s World Cup, so missing out is naturally our biggest regret,” he shared. “But in football, we have to accept the result.”
Despite the disappointment, Okiyama believes the tournament provided valuable lessons for the young squad, especially when facing some of Asia’s strongest teams.
“Overall, compared to the top teams in Asia, we still have many areas that need improvement,” he explained. “The players can perform well in training, but when facing opponents with high speed and intensity, our ball control and decision-making were not effective enough. This is something we must continue to improve through training.”
The Vietnam coach also stressed the importance of stronger cooperation between the national team setup and domestic clubs in developing young talent for the future.
“I and the clubs will continue working together to improve the players technically and tactically,” Okiyama said. “This is especially important for younger players who have just been called up to the national team. They still need more time to develop and refine their individual skills.”
Although the World Cup dream has ended for now, the tournament is still seen as an important step in the development of Vietnam’s women’s youth football program.
VSN/RPT
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