AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 Rival Watch: Vietnam

The Blue Colts will open their campaign with a mouth-watering clash with Vietnam U-17.

The AFC U-17 Asian Cup has commenced on 15 June. There is an incredible amount of excitement in the air as the developmental teams from 16 participating nations clash to win the trophy. Such tournaments provide a great chance to witness the upcoming talent from respective countries. The top four nations at the end will also represent Asia at the prestigious 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Thailand will play hosts for the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup which takes place from 15 June to 2 July 2023. The Indian team is grouped with the likes of Japan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. It begins its campaign with a difficult fixture against Vietnam U-17 on 17 June 2023.

Here is a look at the upcoming opponents for the Indian U-17 team as they prepare for a difficult campaign:

Recent Performances

The Vietnam U-17 team has played seven games in 2023 already. They secured three wins against the likes of Qatar (0-2), Kaiseikan High School of Japan (1-3), and Honda FC U-18 (1-3). They drew two matches. One was a goalless draw with Laos and the second was an entertaining 3-3 stalemate with Tokoha University of Japan.

There were two defeats for the Vietnamese U-17 team as well, one against the PVF Academy of Vietnam (0-3) and the second against Yemen (0-2), which was incidentally their most recent outing. 

Their preparatory tours of Qatar and Japan were positive and gave the coaching department lots of areas to work upon.

About the team

Vietnam is a growing powerhouse in Asian football and their U-17 team is not to be taken lightly. They can beat any team on their day and love to play an attacking brand of football. They have won the erstwhile AFC U-16 Championships on three occasions in 2006, 2010 and 2017. The side has also finished as runners-up twice, in 2016 (lost to Australia on penalties) and 2022 (lost to Indonesia). 

Their consistency in the U-16 Championships is definitely commendable and sheds light on the type of competition that awaits India at the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. Interestingly, The Vietnam U-17 team has never qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals and will aim to make history by winning or reaching the semis of the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. 

Also, the Vietnamese U-17 football team is popularly known as the Golden Star Warriors as a reference to their national flag which bears a golden star on a red background. 

The Coach

Hoang Anh Tuan is the head coach of the Vietnam U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 national football teams. He is a former defender and took the Vietnam U-19 team to the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea. He recently led the U-20 team at the Asian Cup held in Uzbekistan. 

The 55-year-old holds the UEFA A Licence and the AFC Pro Licence and is regarded as one of the most respected figures in the Vietnamese football sphere. Looking at his spells with several developmental teams, the tactician believes in playing counter-attacking football but also has the flexibility to change strategies mid-way into a game.

Players to Watch

Nguyen Le Phat

Nguyen Le Phat is an extremely talented striker who can cause mayhem to any defence. His finishing ability makes him dangerous and the striker will aim to build on his two goals in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers. 

He was crucial in helping the Vietnam U-17 team win Group F and secure qualification to the main stage. Indian defenders need to be wary of the PVF forward who has the capability to score from tight angles and make opportunities for his teammates as well. 

Vi Dinh Thuong

Vi Dinh Thuong is a versatile midfielder who loves to play on the front foot. He got one goal during the AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers and will hope to add to that when the ball starts rolling at the main stage of the tournament.

He plays for Hue Football Club back home and is one of their finest upcoming youngsters. Although the Vietnam U-17 team attacks as a unit, there are figures like Vi Dinh Thuong who like to lead by example and hurt the opposition. 

What to Expect

Vietnam U-17 is one of the strongest teams at the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup. They will push Uzbekistan and Japan for one of the top two positions in Group D to secure qualification into the knockout stages. Under the leadership of Hoang Anh Tuan, one can expect the Golden Star Warriors to deliver impressive and resilient performances in Thailand. 

They are favourites against India U-17 in the inaugural fixture for both teams at the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup.