TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vietnam defeated Timor Leste 10-0 in the Group A preliminary round match of the 2026 AFF U-17 Cup at Gelora Joko Samudro Stadium, Gresik, East Java, on Thursday.
Vietnam's goals were scored by Nguyen Luc in the 5th, 31st, and 84th minutes, Le Trong Dai Nhan in the 19th minute, Tran Ngoc Son in the 24th minute, Tran Tri Dung in the 61st minute, Nguyen Van Duong in the 68th, 71st, and 81st minutes, and Nguyen Duy Khang Trong in the 69th minute.
In the first half, Timor-Leste immediately launched an attack at the heart of Vietnam's defense, but was thwarted by Vietnam's disciplined back line.
Vietnam took the lead in the 5th minute from a set piece. Nguyen Luc's free kick found the back of the net, making it 1-0.
Vietnam upped its lead to 3-0 in the 24th minute. Tran Ngoc Son scored with a right-footed shot after maximizing teamwork in the penalty area, which eluded goalkeeper Joao Baptista.
Vietnam's dominance continued with a fourth goal in the 31st minute, with another goal by Nguyen Luc.
Despite falling behind, Timor Leste continued to fight back on the counterattack, albeit in vain.
Towards the end of the first half, Vietnam began to slow down the tempo of the game and focused more on maintaining possession while luring Timor Leste out of their defense.
Entering the second half, Timor Leste, coached by Emral Abus, attempted to exert more pressure by pinning down Vietnam's defense.
On the other hand, Vietnam remained patient, building attacks from the backline while drawing Timor Leste players out of their defensive area.
Vietnam intensified its lead in the 61st minute and 68th minute with goals by Tran Tri Dung and Nguyen Van Duong, respectively.
Just one minute later, in the 69th minute, Vietnam scored its seventh goal. Nguyen Duy Khang Trong successfully capitalized on a pass from Nguyen Van Duong to beat the opposing goalkeeper.
Vietnam's dominance continued. In the 71st minute, Nguyen Van Duong got on the scoresheet again after escaping the defenders and calmly converting a goal-scoring opportunity.
Nguyen Van Duong completed his hat trick in the 80th minute, dribbling past three Timor Leste players before unleashing a well-placed shot into the left corner of the net, beyond goalkeeper Joao Baptista, giving Vietnam a 9-0 lead.
The Vietnamese national team scored their winning goal in the 84th minute, confirming Vietnam's dominance in the match.
The result of this match cemented Vietnam's position at the top of Group A, with six points from two matches and a goal difference of +14.
Meanwhile, Timor Leste languished at the bottom of the standings with no points after suffering two defeats with a goal difference of -14.
In their next match, Vietnam will face Indonesia at the Gelora Delta Stadium in Sidoarjo on Sunday, April 19.
Meanwhile, on the same date, Timor Leste will face Malaysia at Gelora Joko Samudro Stadium in Gresik.
Vietnam and Timor Leste's line-up:
Timor-Leste U-17: Joao Baptista Con Anin (GK), Paulo Anderson Amaral Braz (C), Jacob Salsinha Maia, Tomas Pawel Rutkowski, Germano Junior Branco Da Silva, Florindo De Araujo Magno, Dramicio Augusto Morreira, Quevin Arya Da Silva Ximenes, Manuel Reinado Sarmento Da Silva, Kai Samuel De Castro, Jermias Zeus Barreto Tuk
Coach: Emral Bin Bustaman
Vietnam U-17: Ly Xuan Hoa (GK), Nguyen Huynh Dang Khoa (C), Nguyen Manh Cuong, Nguyen Minh Thuy, Le Trong Dai Nhan, Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc, Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao, Pham Minh Cuong, Tran Ngoc Son, Truong Nguyen Duy Khang, Le Sy Bach
Coach: Cristiano Rocha Canedo Roland
Read: AFF U-17 Cup: Indonesia, Vietnam Dominate Group A After Big Wins
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