Vietnam's U17 team rounded off their training camp in South Korea with a 4-2 win over Shinpyeong on the afternoon of 28 October. Cristiano Roland's side fell behind early and were pegged back to 2-2 before half-time, but two second-half goals settled their final friendly of the trip before the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026.
A late change of opponent
The game was originally meant to be against South Korea's U17 national team, but the hosts could not field a full squad and the Shinpyeong school team was brought in instead, Tuoi Tre reported. According to the VFF, Shinpyeong won South Korea's national high school spring championship in 2026. Tuoi Tre added that their squad includes Yoon Hee Seo, whose signing has been confirmed by Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, and An Ju Wan, who plays for Seoul E-Land.
Shinpyeong scored in the 10th minute. Vietnam levelled when Le Sy Bach beat his marker on the right and crossed for Le Trong Dai Nhan to finish at close range, and Dao Quy Vuong then put them 2-1 up. Shinpyeong were awarded a penalty and equalised before the break. After the interval, Tran Tri Dung scored in the 68th minute and Tran Manh Quan made it 4-2 in the 76th.
As in the earlier games, the coaching staff prioritised testing players and combinations over the result, according to the VFF. Thanh Nien reported that Roland was fairly pleased, particularly with how his team kept up the tempo and speed of the game.
Three games in Korea
The camp lasted ten days, according to Thanh Nien. Combining reports from Tuoi Tre and Thanh Nien:
| Opponent | Result | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FC Seoul youth team | Lost 1-4 | First game, morning of 21 October per Tuoi Tre |
| Cheonan U17 | Won 5-0 | Second game |
| Shinpyeong | Won 4-2 | Afternoon of 28 October |
Tuoi Tre describes the FC Seoul side as its U18 team, while Thanh Nien calls it the U17 team. Across the three games Vietnam scored 10 and conceded 6. Thanh Nien said the defensive problems behind those six goals would be worked on, and singled out attackers in good form such as Tran Manh Quan and Le Trong Dai Nhan.
The road to Qatar
Under the plan published by the VFF, the squad returns to Vietnam on 29 October and continues training at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Centre in Hanoi. On 6 November the team is scheduled to fly to the UAE for training and friendlies before moving on to Qatar. Thanh Nien reported that Roland will trim his squad before the UAE trip and that the final warm-up game is expected to be against the UAE U17 team.
| Date | Plan |
|---|---|
| 29 October | Return to Vietnam, training in Hanoi |
| 6 November | Travel to the UAE for training and friendlies |
| 20 November | World Cup group game vs Belgium |
| 23 November | World Cup group game vs New Zealand |
| 26 November | World Cup group game vs Mali |
What comes next
The spell in Hanoi gives Roland time to settle the squad and work on tactics and mentality, Thanh Nien said, ahead of the group opener against Belgium on 20 November. Schedules for Vietnam's teams are on the Vietnam national team fixtures page.