Vietnam U19 team travels to Indonesia for the Southeast Asian tournament: Challenges from squad size to schedule.
Despite the absence of key players like Le Phat and Gia Bao, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi and his team remain determined to overcome difficulties in their quest to conquer the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship in Medan.
On the morning of May 28th, the Vietnam U19 team officially departed for Medan, Indonesia, to begin their campaign at the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship. This is predicted to be a challenging journey as coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's team will not have their optimal squad due to conflicts in domestic match schedules and the players' personal plans.
The staffing problem and the lack of key players.
The most notable point in this training camp is the absence of the promising attacking duo: striker Nguyen Le Phat (Ninh Binh FC) and Tran Gia Bao (HAGL). Both are playing important roles for their respective clubs in the final stages of the 2025-2026 V-League season, making it impossible for the clubs to release them for the youth teams.
Besides professional factors, the Vietnam U19 team also faces a school-related challenge as some players born in 2008 are busy with their high school graduation exams. This forces coach Yutaka Ikeuchi to bring a shortened list of 25 players to Indonesia, before finalizing the official 23-player squad just days before the start of the tournament.
The pressure of travel and the philosophy of coach Yutaka Ikeuchi.
The journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Medan lasted almost a full day with connecting flights through Jakarta. The expected landing time of 7 PM made physical recovery a top priority for the coaching staff. However, the Japanese strategist maintained an optimistic attitude and a high level of professionalism.
Mr. Ikeuchi affirmed that the entire team had prepared thoroughly and emphasized the importance of teamwork:"We will not give up; together we will overcome all difficulties to achieve the best results."This is not just a simple regional tournament, but also a strategic training ground leading up to the 2027 U20 Asian Championship qualifiers.
Vietnam U19's match schedule in Group A
In this year's tournament, the Vietnam U19 team is in Group A with opponents of significantly different skill levels. The biggest challenge will be the final match against the host team, Indonesia.
| Day | Competitor | Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| 01/06 | U19 Timor Leste | Group stage |
| 04/06 | Myanmar U19 | Group stage |
| 07/06 | Indonesia U19 | Group stage |
With matches every three days, the ability to rotate the squad and maintain consistent performance will be key for coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's team to advance deep into the tournament taking place from June 1st to June 14th.