ASEAN Football Federation exclaimed as Vietnam defeated Australia to advance to the Southeast Asian final

The homepage of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) praised the resilient comeback performance of the Vietnam U17 team, setting up a fiery final match against Malaysia U17.

The semifinals of the ASEAN Under-17 Men's Football Championship 2026 concluded with highly thrilling scenarios. On the official homepage, AFF highlighted the status of the two most outstanding teams: "Vietnam will face Malaysia for the championship title after the semifinals ended dramatically in Sidoarjo".

The victories of both teams not only secured their spots in the final, but also affirmed the strength of youth football in the region.

Vietnam U17 delivered a composed and convincing performance against the reigning champion Australia. Although Luke Becvinovski put Australia ahead early in the tenth minute, the AFF homepage noted: "Vietnam never lost focus". Coach Cristiano Roland's squad fought resiliently to equalize through Manh Cuong's goal in first-half stoppage time, before Ngoc Luc sealed a 2-1 victory in the 60th minute.

This was not a fortunate win. In fact, Vietnam U17 executed an extremely effective playing style built upon meticulous preparation over the past two years. Under the guidance of the Brazilian strategist, the team achieved an unbeaten streak of 15 consecutive matches—a record number that even the senior national teams under Coach Park Hang Seo had never reached. With a well-defined style and high confidence, Vietnam U17 is showing the form of a true champion.

In the other bracket, Malaysia U17 ended the journey of the "phenomenon" Laos team with a dominant 3-0 victory. According to AFF's assessment, Malaysia decided the match within a "rapid four-minute attacking burst" at the start of the first half, with goals from Ahmad Yusuf and Muhammad Aniq Thaqif. Despite playing with an early numerical advantage, the sharpness and disciplined ball deployment of the yellow-black team were undeniable.

The final match on April 24th not only carries the significance of competing for the regional crown, but also serves as a crucial stepping stone towards the upcoming AFC U17 Championship. Coach Cristiano Roland emphasized that the Southeast Asian tournament is a perfect "warm-up" aiming for qualification to the 2026 U17 World Cup. With FIFA expanding the World Cup participant count to 48 teams, opportunities are wider than ever for Vietnam's promising young players.

Before thinking about the world stage, Sy Bach and his teammates must overcome the final challenge named Malaysia. This will be a clash between two fiery attacking styles, where composure and maturity will determine the new king of Southeast Asian youth football.