China suffers consecutive losses ahead of match against Vietnam in Asian tournament

China's U17 women's team has 2 defeats and 1 draw in their three most recent friendly matches prior to the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2026.

The AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup 2026 officially begins on May 1 in Suzhou (China), and also serves as the qualifying stage for the 2026 U17 Women's World Cup. According to the draw results, Vietnam's U17 women's team is in Group A alongside host China, Thailand, and Myanmar. This is considered a challenging group as China is a top contender for advancing.

However, ahead of the tournament, China's U17 women's team is facing considerable pressure regarding their performance. According to reports from local media, the host team has not secured any victories in their three most recent friendly matches held in April. This outcome has caused significant concern among Chinese experts as the crucial competition draws near.

Specifically, China's U17 women's team faced three domestic women's teams and only managed one draw along with two defeats. Not winning any matches during the preparation phase is clearly not ideal preparation for a team aiming for major goals in the continental tournament. This has increased the pressure on the host team before their encounters with Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar.

According to the tournament format, the top two teams from each group and the two best-performing third-place teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. However, only the four teams reaching the semi-finals will officially secure spots for the 2026 U17 Women's World Cup. Therefore, the competition extends beyond the group stage and requires consistent performance throughout the tournament.

Despite their poor friendly match results, China's U17 women's team is still highly regarded due to their home advantage and their leading women's football foundation in Asia. Compared to the three Southeast Asian representatives—Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar—they remain the most expected team to top the group. However, at the youth level, surprises can always occur, and complacency could come at a cost.

Regarding Vietnam's U17 women's team, they are also completing their final preparations. The squad under Japanese coach Okiyama Masahiko recently concluded a training camp in Japan with three friendly matches, including two draws and one loss. According to the plan, the team will travel to China on April 28 and successively face Thailand (May 1), China (May 4), and Myanmar (May 7).

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