Southeast Asian sports outlets are praising Vietnam’s U17 team after a spectacular performance that ended in a 1-1 draw with Japan at the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025.

Vietnam’s surprising stand at the U17 Asian Cup

One of the biggest surprises of the 2025 U17 Asian Cup came when Vietnam’s U17 squad forced Japan to settle for a draw in the second match of Group B.

Sixteen-year-old Minato Yoshida opened the scoring for Japan in the 13th minute. However, Vietnam remained composed and resilient, equalizing in injury time with a penalty kick by Tran Gia Bao to secure a 1-1 draw.

The result revived Vietnam’s hopes of reaching the quarterfinals and qualifying for the U17 World Cup. It also added more uncertainty to the Group B standings.

“Vietnam U17 have once again delivered a surprise,” wrote Indonesia’s Bola. The outlet applauded Gia Bao and his teammates: “Vietnam continue to display an impressive style of play at the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 and have once again achieved a positive result.”

This 1-1 draw marks Vietnam’s second such outcome at the tournament, having previously shared points with another football heavyweight - Australia.

Both Japan and Australia are considered football powerhouses in Asia, and strong contenders for the U17 title. In fact, Japan and Australia are widely seen as favorites to win the 2025 edition.

Thanks to the draw with Japan, Vietnam remains in the race for a quarterfinal spot and a place at the upcoming U17 World Cup.

A team that never gives up

Japan entered the match as the top title contender in Saudi Arabia, having won the last two editions (2018, 2023) and holding a record four AFC U17 championships.

Thailand’s Siam Sport also commended the performance of coach Cristiano Roland’s team against Japan, a side that has consistently reached at least the round of 16 in the last five U17 World Cups (four round-of-16 appearances and one quarterfinal).

“Vietnam U17 did not give up, fighting back to equalize in added time for a 1-1 draw,” Siam Sport wrote, applauding the determination shown by coach Roland’s squad.

Siam Sport emphasized that the draw keeps Vietnam’s hopes alive for a place at the 2025 U17 World Cup in Qatar.

Meanwhile, fellow Southeast Asian side Indonesia has already secured a spot in the next round after topping their group.

In this match, Japan looked dominant after Yoshida’s early header and seemed to be on course for a full three points. But Vietnam turned the tide with a dramatic late moment, earning a valuable point.

Vietnam currently sits third in Group C with two points and will face UAE in a decisive final group match for a potential World Cup berth.

While Thailand’s U17 team suffered a heavy loss, Siam Sport noted: “The form of Vietnam U17, along with Indonesia’s success, demonstrates clear progress in Southeast Asian football.”

Ngoc Huy