On May 31, in Medan (Indonesia), head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi attended a press conference before the group stage of the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship.
Speaking to the media, the Japanese strategist said he was very happy that young players have the opportunity to compete in a regional playground with high competitiveness, thereby accumulating more international experience for the development path ahead.
We are very happy that the young players have the opportunity to play in this tournament. U19 Vietnam will try their best and play each match like a final," coach Yutaka Ikeuchi emphasized.
At this year's tournament, U19 Vietnam is in Group A with host U19 Indonesia, U19 Myanmar and U19 Timor-Leste. In which, the match between U19 Vietnam and U19 Indonesia is considered the focus match of the group when both are considered candidates to compete for a ticket to the next round.
However, the Japanese coach said that U19 Vietnam does not focus on any opponent alone but will prepare with the highest spirit for all matches.
As I shared, U19 Vietnam will fight their best in every match. The match against Indonesia is also the same," he said.
U19 Indonesia entered the tournament as defending champions after defeating Thailand 1-0 in the 2024 final. The home team continues to be highly appreciated thanks to possessing a quality force, including 6 players who are playing or being trained abroad.
On the side of U19 Vietnam, the team does not have the optimal force because some players are entangled in domestic schedules. However, the coaching staff still places their trust in the current players and the determination of the whole team.
According to the plan, in the afternoon of the same day, U19 Vietnam will have their last training session in Medan to complete tactical plans, review forces and aim for a favorable start at the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship.
