Hanoi, 14 January 2026 – The final round of the National U19 Football Championship – Modern Cup 2025/2026 officially began on January 14 at the PVF Youth Football Training Center in Hung Yen, featuring competitive opening matches and reaffirming the tournament’s key role in developing Vietnam’s next generation of football talents.
On the afternoon of January 14, the opening ceremony and first matches of the final round of the National U19 Football Championship – Modern Cup 2025/2026 took place at the PVF Youth Football Training Center in Hung Yen province. Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Minh Chau, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Football Federation and Head of the Organizing Committee, emphasized the importance of the tournament in discovering and nurturing young players for Vietnam’s national teams. According to Nguyen Minh Chau, this year’s competition brings together 12 of the strongest teams from the qualifying rounds, divided into three groups and competing in a single round-robin format. The top two teams in each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarter-finals. He stressed that the tournament provides coaches and football experts with valuable opportunities to closely assess player quality, identify promising talents, and build a solid foundation for future professional competitions and national team development.
Immediately after the opening ceremony, attention focused on the main pitch with the Group A clash between hosts U19 PVF-CAND and U19 The Cong Viettel. The match unfolded as a tight midfield battle, but with home advantage and better efficiency in front of goal, U19 PVF-CAND secured a narrow 1-0 victory over U19 The Cong Viettel. In the other Group A match, U19 Hong Linh Ha Tinh delivered an emphatic performance, overpowering U19 Dak Lak with a convincing 4-0 win to underline their strength early in the tournament.
Assessing the opening-day matches, Nguyen Minh Chau noted that the U19 finals provide an ideal platform for young players to gain match experience and sharpen their competitive mindset. He highlighted that in such a highly competitive environment, players must demonstrate composure, tactical awareness, and creativity to assert themselves against strong opponents and prove their potential for higher levels.
Earlier, Group B also witnessed exciting encounters. U19 PVF showcased the quality of one of Vietnam’s leading youth academies with a solid 2-0 victory over U19 Ho Chi Minh City Police. The match was largely decided in the first half, as Nguyen Van Duong opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a superb direct free kick, before Do Nam Hieu doubled the lead in the 33rd minute with an impressive long-range strike. After the match, U19 PVF head coach Nguyen Ngoc Duy acknowledged the difficulty of opening fixtures but praised his players’ physical condition, confidence, and discipline, stating that the win was a deserved reward for their performance.
Meanwhile, U19 Hanoi faced a tough challenge against a resilient U19 Ho Chi Minh City side. Despite sustained pressure, the capital team’s experience and composure proved decisive, as Nguyen Viet Long scored the only goal of the match in the 32nd minute to secure a 1-0 victory. Speaking after the game, U19 Hanoi head coach Cristiano Roland expressed satisfaction with his players’ commitment and tactical discipline, while also pointing out areas for improvement, particularly in controlling the tempo during the second half.
According to the competition schedule, the tournament continues on January 15 with Group C matches featuring Song Lam Nghe An, Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Da Nang, and Dong Thap, promising further intense competition as teams battle for places in the knockout stage.
VSN collaborator writer
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