U16 Malaysia lost 0-11 to Croatia before meeting U17 Vietnam
U16 Malaysia lost 0-11 to Croatia during training session 10/27-11/10; Datuk Dollah Salleh awaits report. U17 Vietnam is on a good run and will play in group C at PVF Stadium.
Malaysia U16 lost 0-11 to Croatia in a friendly match last Tuesday, during a training trip from October 27 to November 10 in Croatia, ahead of the 2026 AFC U17 qualifiers where they were in the same group as Vietnam U17.
The 0-11 shock and the reaction from the leadership
The Malaysian youth team is currently led by Spanish coach Javier Jorda Ribera. The aim of the trip to Europe was to gain experience before the qualifiers, but the heavy defeat created a big shock in the result.
Datuk Dollah Salleh, manager of the Malaysia U16 team, admitted that the result was surprising and said he was not yet ready to jump to conclusions: "I have spoken to the coaches and asked for a detailed report. We will only comment after finding out the facts."
He also recalled a positive performance earlier this year at the FIFA Youth Series in Zurich, where the team finished fifth, to underline the unexpected nature of the defeat: "It was a really great result. I'm not sure what happened in Croatia, but I believe they can come back strong for the AFC U17 qualifiers."
Impact on Group C of the 2026 AFC U17 Qualifiers
Malaysia are in Group C along with Vietnam U17 (hosts), Singapore, Hong Kong, Northern Mariana Islands and Macau. They will open their campaign on November 22 against Northern Mariana Islands.
Only the top seven teams in the qualifying round will qualify for the 2026 AFC U17 Championship in Saudi Arabia, which will take place from May 7 to 24. That makes every match in the group stage highly decisive.
U17 Vietnam speeds up preparation
Meanwhile, U17 Vietnam is having a training session for more than a week in Japan to complete the preparation. The team won U18 Imabari 2-0 and drew 1-1 with Matsuyama University in the first two friendly matches.
In the qualifying round, U17 Vietnam has home field advantage when playing at PVF, a factor that can make a difference in the race for the top spot in Group C.
Tactical angle: questions for Malaysia
A heavy defeat before a major tournament usually sets three priorities: strengthening the defensive structure, improving transitions and stabilising the mentality. For the U16s, managing the emotional aftermath of the shock can be as important as tactical adjustments. Video analysis, closing gaps in the wings, maintaining team size and controlling individual errors are all areas that need urgent review in the remaining stages of preparation.
Notable numbers
- Friendly score: 0-11
- Training time in Croatia: October 27 - November 10
- Malaysia's opening match: November 22 against Northern Mariana Islands
- Tickets to the final round: Top 7 teams of the qualifying round
- 2026 AFC U17 Championship Date: May 7-24 in Saudi Arabia
- Friendly match results of U17 Vietnam in Japan: won 2-0 U18 Imabari, drew 1-1 with Matsuyama University
The confrontation between U17 Vietnam and U17 Malaysia in Group C will therefore be closely watched: one side maintains the rhythm with positive results, the other side needs to react after the shock. The qualifying round only takes the group leader, the margin of error is very small.
