Crushed 1-35, the defeated U17 Vietnam opponent leaves the Asian tournament in despair

The team that played against U17 Vietnam concluded the U17 Asian qualifiers with a disappointing result following a very tough campaign.

U17 Northern Mariana Islands entered their final match against Macau hoping to end the tournament on a more positive note, after a series of losses and many heavy defeats. However, the gap in quality was once again quickly revealed, causing the small team to endure another difficult match against an opponent superior in both fitness and technique.

Macau dominated possession throughout the first half, consistently creating multiple chances to threaten the opposition’s goal. Tang headed over the bar before Pudney had to dive to save a dangerous curling shot from Chong Chon Iat. U17 Northern Mariana responded only with a shot from Kadokura, which went too high and failed to change the game’s momentum.

Early in the second half, confusion in the Northern Mariana defense cost them dearly. From a rebound inside the penalty area, Leong Hou Teng easily struck a low shot to open the scoring for Macau. The team’s morale dropped, making it even harder for the small island side to withstand the pressure. In the 54th minute, Ng Kuan Hou deceived Tagabuel before calmly finishing to seal the 2-0 victory.

The loss meant U17 Northern Mariana Islands ended the qualifiers with a goal difference of 1-35, losing all five matches. They suffered heavy defeats including 0-14 against U17 Vietnam and 0-13 against Malaysia, highlighting a huge gap in quality. Despite efforts, the team was almost unable to produce any positive moments during this challenging campaign.

Coach Jireh Yobech expressed concern after the loss to Vietnam on November 24. He acknowledged that the consecutive defeats heavily affected the players’ mindset, but the team had anticipated facing stronger football nations. With limited resources and many young players leaving home after schooling, Northern Mariana football faces significant long-term development challenges.

Nevertheless, Coach Yobech affirmed that the team will continue nurturing young talents as much as possible. Although they left the tournament with a shocking goal difference, the experience at the U17 Asian qualifiers is viewed as an important lesson to help them pursue more sustainable progress in the future.