U16 Vietnam missed out on the Southeast Asian championship in extra time.

The goal conceded in extra time made U16 Vietnam draw U16 Australia 3-3 after 90 minutes. In the penalty shootout, the red team lost 4-5.

Vietnam U16 players cried after the match. Photo: Duc Dong.

When the clock entered the 90th minute, the score was still 3-2 in favor of U16 Vietnam. However, after only a few dozen seconds, things took a different turn due to a mistake by goalkeeper Huu Tuan. The U16 Vietnam goalkeeper failed to catch the ball, allowing John Roberts to easily head the ball into an empty net.

In the penalty shootout, Xuan Kien could not beat the opponent goalkeeper in the third round while U16 Australia successfully kicked all five times. This achievement helped U16 Australia pay off the debt in the group stage, and moreover, also take home the Southeast Asian championship cup.

Before that, U16 Vietnam had a huge advantage to finish the match in 90 minutes. The red shirt players opened the score in the first half thanks to Huynh Sang and twice increased the gap to two goals thanks to Viet Cuong and Khac Khiem.

However, U16 Australia played very resiliently when continuously chasing with goals from John Roberts and Mark Moric. This was also the second consecutive match that U16 Australia equalized 3-3 in extra time and won on penalties. A similar scenario happened in the semi-final against U16 Thailand.

U16 Vietnam has gone through a convincing journey to the final. Even the opponent in the final match was a 0-3 loser in the group stage. Coach Dinh The Nam's students are only one step away from finishing the tournament perfectly but have to taste the taste of defeat at the threshold of heaven like many seniors.

However, at the age of U16, the important thing is that the performance on the field of this generation of players has shown signs of special progress. U16 Vietnam does not have players who possess the skill to dribble past several players, but their thinking and approach to the game are much more mature. The playing style of U16 Vietnam in this year's tournament is not colorful and "pleasing to the eye", but in return, it has efficiency and mobility like the trend of modern football in recent years.

Australian U16 players hug each other to celebrate the disappointment of Vietnam U16. Photo: Duc Dong.

In the final, U16 Australia was the team that controlled the game but U16 Vietnam knew how to exploit the weak points in the opponent's defense. Instead of playing passive defense, the players in red focused on fighting in the middle of the field and counterattacking quickly. The first two goals of U16 Vietnam both originated from such scenarios.

Khac Khiem was the one who made his mark on all three goals of U16 Vietnam. The striker wearing the number 10 shirt assisted the first two goals before scoring himself with a decisive left-footed shot. The third goal was a testament to the simplicity and effectiveness of U16 Vietnam, with Huu Thang making an accurate pass from home and Khac Khiem finishing with one touch.

U16 Australia also deserves praise for showing their mettle at the decisive moment. The team from the land of kangaroos did not give up even though they were down 3-1 until the last minutes. The yellow jerseys' stamina was also excellent despite having to go through a similar tough match in the semi-final against U16 Thailand. U16 Australia may not have played more effectively than U16 Vietnam but their steely spirit was the weapon that helped them win the title.

According to VNE