Vietnam U17's number one goalkeeper suddenly faces a major setback ahead of the World Cup

Ly Xuan Hoa, the U17 Vietnam goalkeeper, fractured his maxillary sinus wall following a strong impact in the 2026 National U17 qualifiers.

Goalkeeper Ly Xuan Hoa, who played a key role in helping U17 Vietnam secure a spot at the 2026 U17 World Cup, suffered a serious injury during the match between U17 PVF and U17 Song Lam Nghe An in the 2026 National U17 qualifiers. After being taken for examination, a CT scan confirmed that the 2009-born goalkeeper had a fracture in the right maxillary sinus wall, but fortunately, it did not affect the skull or brain area.

The injury occurred in the 33rd minute when Xuan Hoa rushed out to make a save while facing a U17 Song Lam Nghe An player. Following the heavy collision, the U17 PVF goalkeeper immediately fell to the ground and received medical attention. Despite trying to continue playing after first aid, the young keeper repeatedly showed signs of pain and was eventually forced to leave the pitch after his third time going down.

On the evening of July 2, Xuan Hoa was taken to Saint Paul Hospital (Hanoi) for further examination. CT scan results showed he had a fractured right maxillary sinus wall. This injury requires monitoring and treatment, but the positive aspect is that the U17 Vietnam goalkeeper's brain area was unaffected, alleviating concerns about his health condition.

Ly Xuan Hoa has been one of the standout figures in Vietnamese youth football recently. The goalkeeper from Tuyen Quang has been the first-choice keeper for U17 Vietnam in official tournaments since late 2025. His consistent performance and crucial saves have earned him full trust from the coaching staff.

At the 2026 ASEAN U17 Championship, Xuan Hoa played a major role in helping U17 Vietnam win the title and also earned the Golden Glove award. Then, at the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals, he continued to perform impressively, contributing to the team led by Coach Cristiano Roland advancing past the group stage to qualify for the 2026 U17 World Cup for the first time.

Earlier, in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, Xuan Hoa and U17 Vietnam won all five matches and kept a clean sheet throughout the campaign. Therefore, this injury to the 2009-born goalkeeper has caused great concern among fans. Hopefully, the treatment process will go smoothly so that Xuan Hoa can return to the pitch soon and continue accompanying U17 Vietnam on their journey to conquer the world stage.