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Vietnam U20 coach: “As long as there is hope, we will fight to the end”

From Tuổi Trẻ · () Vietnamese

Translated from Vietnamese and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Vietnam U20 lost 2-1 to Palestine in the second round of Group C qualifying for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup.
  • Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi said Vietnam must improve its concentration and defending, but will continue fighting while qualification remains mathematically possible.
  • Vietnam must beat Iran by at least two goals and hope North Korea defeats Palestine in the final round.

Vietnam U20’s hopes of reaching the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup are hanging by a thread after a 2-1 defeat to Palestine in Group C.

The loss in Viet Tri, Phu Tho, was Vietnam’s second in as many matches. Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi said the team had entered the game knowing it had to win, but failed to find its rhythm and concentration in the first half.

This was a match we had to win. The players prepared well and transitioned well. However, in the first half, the team’s spirit and concentration had not really come together.

· Yutaka IkeuchiAssessing Vietnam’s 2-1 defeat to Palestine.

“This was a match we had to win. The players prepared well and transitioned well. However, in the first half, the team’s spirit and concentration had not really come together,” Ikeuchi said at the post-match news conference.

Vietnam created more pressure after the break but could not convert another chance. Ikeuchi said Palestine defended well and posed a threat on the counterattack, while Vietnam lacked experience in key defensive moments.

Palestine defended well and counterattacked dangerously. Our defending at decisive moments still lacked experience. When you do not score from the chances you create, you have to accept the result.

· Yutaka IkeuchiExplaining the factors behind Vietnam’s loss.

“Palestine defended well and counterattacked dangerously. Our defending at decisive moments still lacked experience. When you do not score from the chances you create, you have to accept the result,” he said.

Ikeuchi acknowledged that the team’s goal difference had left it with very little room, but insisted it would not give up. “As long as there is theoretical hope, we will continue to fight to the end,” he said.

As long as there is theoretical hope, we will continue to fight to the end.

· Yutaka IkeuchiDescribing Vietnam’s remaining qualification hopes.

Palestine coach Sajid Karakra described Vietnam as a strong team with the advantage of playing at home. Palestine had lost its opening match, but Karakra said his players showed responsibility, commitment and control before scoring twice.

Vietnam now needs to defeat Iran by at least two goals and hope North Korea beats Palestine. It currently sits last in Group C with zero points and a minus-four goal difference.

Vietnam is a strong team and has the advantage of playing at home. It is not easy to find their weaknesses.

· Sajid KarakraAssessing Palestine’s opponents after the match.
About this summary

Originally published by Tuổi Trẻ in Vietnamese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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