After losing 0-3 to U20 DPRK in the first match of Group C of the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, Nguyen Le Phat said goodbye to U20 Vietnam. On September 1, this striker returned to Ninh Binh to prepare for the 2026-2027 V.League season.
Le Phat's absence is a significant loss for the U20 Vietnam attack. The player born in 2006 has more playing experience at a higher level than most of his teammates, having participated in the U23 Vietnam squad that won the gold medal at SEA Games 33 in 2025 and the bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
In the match against U20 DPRK, Le Phat was put in the starting lineup by coach Yutaka Ikeuchi. However, against an opponent with superior quality, the Ninh Binh striker could not make a difference and U20 Vietnam suffered a 0-3 defeat.
Le Phat's return to the club also forces coach Yutaka Ikeuchi to adjust the personnel plan for the remaining two matches. The Japanese coach said that the coaching staff will have to carefully calculate the playing opportunities of the remaining players to maintain the competitiveness of U20 Vietnam.
The defeat against U20 DPRK puts U20 Vietnam under great pressure in the race to advance. The team needs to improve their attacking ability and take advantage of opportunities in the remaining two matches if they want to nurture hopes of participating in the 2027 AFC U20 Championship finals.
According to the match schedule, U20 Vietnam meets U20 Palestine on September 3 and U20 Iran on September 6 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho).
After the first match, U20 DPRK has a great advantage when winning a big victory. Meanwhile, U20 Vietnam must aim for positive results in the last two matches to compete for a position in the group with the potential to win a ticket to the finals.
The 2027 AFC U20 Championship qualifiers include 8 groups. The top teams in each group and 7 second-placed teams with the best results and the host team will win the right to participate in the finals.
