On the evening of October 27, U17 Vietnam drew 1-1 with Yemen. This result helped U17 Vietnam rank second in Group I with 4 points and a goal difference of +2, winning the right to participate in the 2025 AFC U17 Finals. This can be considered the most remarkable success of Vietnamese football in 2024 up to now. However, there is still controversy surrounding how coach Roland and his team achieved their goal.
Stone path "lulls" in the rain
U17 Vietnam actually played with a positive attitude after conceding a goal. Despite a few defensive errors, the home team created confidence that they would score an equalizer.
Just 17 minutes after goalkeeper Hoa Xuan Tin went into the net to pick up the ball, Le Huy Viet Anh scored to restore the balance. In the remaining minutes of the first half, U17 Vietnam controlled the match and created great pressure on U17 Yemen's field.
Coach Cristiano Roland's players showed the same image as in the previous two matches. They played confidently, proactively and had clear ideas.
Vietnam U17 won a ticket to the 2025 AFC U17 finals.
But as the matches in other groups took place and each calculation gradually revealed itself, U17 Vietnam approached the match in a completely different way.
Throughout the second half, coach Cristiano Roland's players did not attack, did not shoot, and did not really put pressure on their opponents. All Viet Anh and his teammates did was try to control the ball.
That way of playing caused some controversy. Fans at Viet Tri Stadium and many people watching on TV demanded that U17 Vietnam attack aggressively and win. Not only did they want U17 Vietnam to qualify for the U17 Asian Cup finals, but they also demanded that the young players "play beautifully". In fact, Yemen also had similar intentions to U17 Vietnam.
First of all, let's listen to the statement of the head coach of U17 Yemen - Mr. Samer Saleh: " I congratulate U17 Vietnam for getting a ticket to the 2025 AFC U17 Championship. We wanted to control the ball a lot but this was a difficult match. The second half was very tactical, everyone wanted to keep the ball a lot. This group is not easy. Yemen and Vietnam both performed well. We want to reduce the pressure that Vietnam caused ."
Results are important
Even though the fans are not satisfied, there is an undeniable truth that U17 Vietnam chose the right tactics and achieved good results. The ability to rotate and control the ball helps coach Roland and his team ensure safety in the home field. This is especially important when U17 Vietnam only needs a draw and the opponent does not necessarily have to win.
U17 Vietnam chooses suitable tactics.
The attack to absolutely defeat Yemen is like a double-edged sword for U17 Vietnam. Remember, they conceded the first goal from a lightning counterattack of the opponent. Choosing the safe option, 1 point and a ticket to the Asian tournament belongs to U17 Vietnam.
Just need to pass the group stage of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship, U17 Vietnam will be able to participate in the FIFA U17 World Cup. Also because of the attractiveness of this year's tournament, many teams accept to calculate and play in a "thorny" style, as long as they achieve their goals.
In Group G, the match between Indonesia and Australia followed the same 90-minute script as the one between Vietnam and Yemen. After a tense first 45 minutes without a goal, the two teams completely changed tactics. Australia kept the ball at all costs and their four defenders passed it back and forth like a warm-up before training. Meanwhile, the Indonesian strikers retreated to their own field and did not put any pressure.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw, satisfying both Indonesia and Australia. No one wanted to risk just one point. The format of selecting the 5 best second-placed teams from the 10 groups made everyone calculate every goal conceded.
The lesson of U20 Vietnam losing the ticket to the Asian tournament because of a single goal is a warning for coach Cristiano Roland. The Brazilian coach understands this and he was right with his choice.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/u17-viet-nam-da-ma-nua-tran-co-dang-bi-che-bai-ar904227.html
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