Vietnam U20 at the bottom of Group C in 2027 U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, only narrow path to reach finals

In the first moment after the match ended, head coach Ikeuchi Yukata stood motionless in front of the scoreboard, staring at the 1-2 result against Palestine. The entire empty stadium had no applause, only the wind drifting through the vacant stands. This is an image that no one watching can forget. The Vietnam U20 team is currently last in Group C with 0 points after just one defeat. They have been eliminated from first and even second place in the group. The only remaining path for them to participate in the 2027 U20 Asian Cup is an extremely specific scenario: winning against Iran by at least two goals, while North Korea defeats Palestine, and then finishing among the top 7 second-placed teams in the entire tournament. Even if that scenario occurs, the projected goal difference for Vietnam would be -4, a fairly low number compared to the overall standings of other second-placed teams. Many experts believe the actual chance for the Vietnamese youth team to enter the top 7 second-placed teams is low, and the pressure on head coach Ikeuchi Yukata is increasing.