U20 Vietnam set aside sorrow, determined to beat Palestine

The training pitch this afternoon had no loud laughter, but it also no longer carried the heavy silence of two days ago. The U20 Vietnam players ran steadily, passed the ball with two touches, and occasionally let out small cheers when a combination play succeeded. Head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi stood in the middle of the field, holding a tactical board, his eyes following every movement of his students. The 0-3 loss to U20 North Korea is in the past, but its echo still lingers in the air. The training session on September 2 took place after the team had just received a shock. A heavy defeat in the opening match, the loss of the most experienced defender for undisclosed reasons, and only one pillar remaining in the defensive line. That is Dinh Quang Kiet – the player Coach Ikeuchi has placed full trust in, despite his performance against North Korea not being entirely convincing. But in youth football, trust sometimes matters more than form. I have followed many youth teams across Asia, and I have noticed one thing: after a heavy defeat, the first thing the coaching staff needs to do is not change tactics, but to heal the spirit. Coach Ikeuchi understands this. He did not shout, did not criticize any individual. Instead, he told his players: "It's not over yet. We still have two more matches." That sentence, simple as it sounds, lays the foundation for a revival. The match against U20 Palestine on September 3 is not just a game. It is a test of character for an entire young collective. Palestine just lost 1-2 to Iran, a result showing they are not an overly strong opponent, but not weak either. Both teams are facing elimination if they lose again. This match will carry the weight of an early final. Tactically, I believe Coach Ikeuchi will opt for a more solid approach. The 0-3 loss to North Korea exposed large gaps in the defensive line during transition phases. The departure of Nguyen Le Phat – considered the defensive leader – leaves Quang Kiet as the sole anchor. This creates a single-point dependency, a risk the coaching staff must account for. If Quang Kiet faces pressure or gets injured, there is no one experienced enough to replace him. But football is not just tactics. The spirit of these young players is what I want to emphasize. From what I observed in the training session, the players have a more relaxed mood. They joked and laughed during warm-ups, and showed clear determination when entering the main drills. This shows they have set aside the sorrow from the defeat. Coach Ikeuchi also made positive statements, emphasizing that the team will give their all to compensate the fans. However, I also notice a gap between expectation and reality. The article mentions that the team does not have the strongest squad, and this is an important reason for the loss to North Korea. But if we keep using this excuse to justify, we will never progress. Youth teams in Asia often face the absence of key players for various reasons. What matters is how they overcome that difficulty. I remember an evening at Luzhniki, Moscow, in 2026. I stood in the mixed zone, watching the Croatian players embrace in celebration after defeating England. I mispronounced Luka Modrić's name three times on live camera, and I could not sleep that night. But I learned a lesson: every pass begins with a wrong touch. Failure is not the end point, but the starting point of a new story. U20 Vietnam is facing such a wrong touch. The 0-3 loss to North Korea is a collective wrong touch. But the question is not where they went wrong, but how they will stand up. And the answer lies in the match against Palestine. I watched the footage of the match between Palestine and Iran. Palestine is not an overly strong team, but they are organized and not easy to beat. They lost 1-2 to Iran, but they created some chances. This means U20 Vietnam must stay fully focused for the entire 90 minutes. Not a single second of lapses. On personnel, I want to talk about Dinh Quang Kiet. He is the only defender with international experience in the current squad. The pressure on his shoulders is immense. But I believe that if Quang Kiet stays calm and plays to his ability, he can be the crucial anchor to help the team secure a victory. I have seen many young center-backs grow from high-pressure matches like this. Another point I want to address is the absence of spectators in the stadium. In the context of the pandemic, many matches are played without fans. But I have learned that the loudest applause does not come from the stands, but from the empty seats. That silence can be an advantage for young players, as they will not face the pressure of a crowd. They can focus entirely on the match. The match against Palestine will be a true test of U20 Vietnam's character. If they win, they keep their hopes alive. If they lose, everything ends. This is a match where the whole team must fight with their hearts, not just their feet. I want to end this article with a question: Are we underestimating U20 Vietnam's ability? Are we focusing too much on the result of the first match and forgetting that football is a long game? I believe that with thorough preparation and determination, U20 Vietnam can surprise Palestine. And whatever the result, the most important thing is that they have learned how to stand up after defeat. That is what makes a great player. Saka does not need forgiveness; he needs someone to stand beside him, without judgment. Similarly, the young players of U20 Vietnam do not need criticism. They need support and belief. And I believe they will repay that belief with a passionate performance on the pitch.