Thai media unanimously exclaimed one thing when their team was eliminated from the group stage by Laos U17.

Thai media reacted quite sharply after Thailand U17 lost 2-3 to Laos U17 and was officially eliminated from the 2026 Southeast Asia U17 Championship.

The leading sports newspaper in the Land of Golden Temples, Siam Sport, could not hide its disappointment when it headlined: “The Thailand U17 team lost to Laos with a score of 2-3 and was eliminated from the Southeast Asia U17 Championship.” The article emphasized that this is an unacceptable outcome for a football nation that is highly regarded in the region.

Meanwhile, Thairath wrote: "Unable to withstand the pressure! The Thailand U17 team lost to Laos with a score of 2-3, ending their group stage journey in the Southeast Asian tournament."

According to Siam Sport and Thairath, despite twice taking the lead, the "Young War Elephants" could not maintain their advantage and allowed their opponents to turn the tide. The newspaper specifically pointed out defensive mistakes as the main cause of the defeat, especially in the two late goals when players lost focus and lacked determined marking.

Additionally, these newspapers also acknowledged that Laos U17 had an impressive match. This team played confidently, utilized set situations well, and executed sharp counterattacks. Scoring two goals in the final minutes is seen as proof of the spirit and clear progress of Laos youth football.

This defeat resulted in Thailand U17 securing only 3 points after the group stage, ranking third and leaving the tournament early. Siam Sport believes this is a warning bell for Thailand football's youth training efforts, in the context of regional rivals like Laos making strong strides.

Meanwhile, the historic victory helped Laos U17 secure the top spot in Group B with 7 points, thereby proudly advancing to the semifinals - a result that caused a major surprise in this year's tournament.