Vietnam U17 team drew dramatically with Australia in the opening match of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship Finals
The Vietnam U17 team had a dramatic draw against Australia U17 in the opening match of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship.
On the evening of April 4, the U17 Vietnam and U17 Australia teams competed in the first match of Group B - 2025 AFC U17 Championship Finals, at Sheikh Ali bin Mohammed Stadium, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia.
The Vietnam U17 team came to this year’s tournament with great expectations after an impressive performance in the qualifying round. Under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, the young squad of Vietnam U17 has many potential faces such as striker Thien Phu, goalkeeper Xuan Tin and central midfielder Hong Phong.
Meanwhile, U17 Australia has always been considered one of the strong candidates for the championship. The representative of the land of kangaroos possesses a modern playing style, good physical strength and a balanced technical foundation. They aim to win the top spot in Group B and go far in this year's tournament.
Before the match, experts assessed that the U17 Australian team was superior in terms of physique and international experience, however, the U17 Vietnam team could still create a surprise if they took advantage of the opportunity.
Entering the match, the "golden star warriors" entered the game quite confidently, deploying a tight formation and not afraid to compete one-on-one with opponents with superior physique. However, experience and better organization helped U17 Australia gradually take the initiative.
In the 29th minute, Hong Phong fouled Tatu in the penalty area, forcing U17 Vietnam to concede a penalty. On the 11m mark, captain Macnicol kicked the ball against the crossbar and bounced to the ground. The Australian players claimed the ball had crossed the line, but the referee refused to recognize the goal.
The missed penalty did not deter Australia U17, but it did make them play more cautiously for the rest of the first half. Meanwhile, Vietnam U17 took advantage of the time to stabilize the team and keep the rhythm of the match. However, in the 41st minute, Macnicol - who had missed the penalty earlier - made up for his mistake with an excellent individual performance. He dribbled from midfield, passed the Vietnam U17 defense and then fired a dangerous long-range shot, opening the score for Australia. That was also the score in the first half.
In the second half, the U17 Vietnam team made adjustments to strengthen the attack. Thien Phu left the field, giving way to Van Bach. The red team tried to push up the formation to find an equalizer but encountered the opponent's tight defense.
In the 50th minute, the turning point came for U17 Vietnam. In a seemingly harmless situation, Duy Khang suddenly launched a delicate shot from a very narrow angle. The ball went dangerously, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Ajanovic and straight into the net, tying the score 1-1 for U17 Vietnam. The goal helped the red shirt players' spirit to rise significantly, creating a more balanced match compared to the first half.
In the 58th minute, coach Cristiano Roland continued to make personnel adjustments to increase pressure. Striker Tran Gia Bao, one of the most expected names of U17 Vietnam, was sent onto the field with the goal of improving his finishing ability in the decisive phase.
With this adjustment, the U17 Vietnam team continued to create dangerous attacking situations. Van Bach had a strong dribble from the right wing to the center. He shot, but his shot was not strong enough to trouble goalkeeper Ajanovic, as the ball was too soft and did not pose a danger to the U17 Australia goal.
At the end of the match, both U17 Vietnam and U17 Australia pushed up their formations to attack in search of the decisive goal. Goalkeeper Hoa Xuan Tin made a wrong pass to an Australian player, but fortunately the other team could not take advantage. However, the U17 Vietnam players still played bravely, fiercely fighting back against the speed and technique of the opponent.
The second half had 8 minutes of added time and during this time, both teams tried to attack. U17 Vietnam continued to maintain a solid defense, while U17 Australia continued to increase the pressure in search of the decisive goal. However, both teams could not take advantage of the opportunity, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
After this match, on April 7, the Vietnam U17 team will face Japan U17 in the second match of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship Finals.