Malaysia follows Thailand and Indonesia, causing concern for Vietnam's national team

(Football results) - After Indonesia and Thailand, Malaysia's U19 side impressed in their opening match at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship by defeating Singapore, thus putting additional pressure on Vietnam's U19 squad in the battle for a semifinal spot.

Malaysia's U19 team delivered a remarkable performance in their opening game at the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, beating Singapore 3-0. Although the match was considered evenly matched before kickoff, the Malaysian side showed clear dominance. After an initial period of probing play, the yellow-shirted team made excellent use of set-piece situations to create differences and secure an advantage in the first half.

In the 21st minute, Arif Aiman opened the scoring from a corner kick that was delivered to the far post. In the 39th minute, a similar scenario unfolded as Abid Safaraz headed the ball into Singapore's net to double the lead. In the second half, Tengku Hasyri added a beautiful goal, sealing a 3-0 victory for Malaysia. This result has drawn particular attention from Vietnam's U19 team, as the race to the semifinals depends not only on their position within their group but also on their performance and goal difference compared to teams from other groups (in cases where the best runner-up spots are selected).

Not only Malaysia, but earlier Indonesia's U19 team also sent a strong warning to the rest of the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Myanmar. The host side controlled the game for most of the match and opened the scoring in the 39th minute through Arkhan Kaka. In the second half, repeated defensive errors from Myanmar allowed Indonesia to add two more goals, completing a convincing win.

This victory gave Indonesia's U19 team 3 points and a goal difference of +3, matching Vietnam's record in Group A. However, the performance of the Indonesian side was highly impressive, as they consistently applied pressure and displayed remarkable squad depth. With home advantage and championship ambitions, Indonesia is considered the biggest rival for Coach Yutaka Ikeuchi's team in the race for the top spot in the group.

Meanwhile, Thailand's U19 team made an even stronger impression. The young team from the Land of Smiles crushed Brunei's U19 side with an incredible 9-0 scoreline to take the lead in Group B. Pattaratron scored a hat-trick in the first half, while his teammates kept scoring in the second half to produce the most lopsided victory of the tournament so far. Their overwhelming goal difference has established Thailand as a top contender for the championship.

Looking at the current situation, Vietnam's U19 team has reason to be cautious despite their 3-0 win over Timor Leste in the opening match. Compared to Malaysia, Indonesia, or especially Thailand, the red-shirted team's victory against the weakest opponent in Group A has not been truly convincing or provided a significant advantage in goal difference.

Given that only the group winners are guaranteed a semifinal berth, while the spot for the best runner-up depends heavily on points and goal difference, Vietnam's U19 team will need to maintain a high level of performance in their upcoming matches if they want to avoid the unfortunate situation of being eliminated from the regional tournament as early as the group stage.