Southeast Asian fans collectively reacted as Vietnam U17 defeated Malaysia 4-0.

The emphatic 4-0 victory of Vietnam U17 over Malaysia U17 in their opening match of Group A at the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship not only left a strong impression professionally, but also sparked lively discussions among the regional fan community.

Immediately after the match, many Southeast Asian fans expressed admiration for Vietnam U17's performance. On football forums, numerous opinions stated that the red-shirted team demonstrated a style of play completely superior to their opponent. “Vietnam U17 played exceptionally well, with smooth coordination and strong organization. Indonesia definitely needs to be cautious,” a fan commented.

The scoring plays by Sy Bach (double), Van Duong, and Manh Cuong were highly praised not only for the finishing but also for the attacking buildup. Many pointed out that Vietnam U17 does not possess superior physique, but compensates with excellent ball control and flexible short-passing combinations. “Vietnamese players are smaller but have good technique, their short-passing play is very troublesome. Their set-piece situations are also extremely dangerous,” a comment from Thailand stated.

Many Indonesian fans predicted that Vietnam U17 and Indonesia would be the teams certain to advance from Group A. "Vietnam U17 and Indonesia U17 will reach the semifinals, that's certain."

On the opposite side, Malaysian fans expressed disappointment with their team's performance. Many fans frankly admitted that the loss was something predicted beforehand. “Even when using the strongest lineup in the Asian qualifiers they lost 0-4, so this result is not too surprising,” one shared. Even more pessimistically, there was an opinion: “Malaysian football, from senior to youth teams, is facing problems as they continuously lose to Vietnam.”

"I am satisfied with Malaysia U17's style of play. They need international experience. That's the statement I've been hearing for the past twelve years. The same statement." a Malaysian fan expressed disappointment.

However, others also offered encouragement to the young players: "It's okay, this was an anticipated result; the goal in this tournament is to give the young players more experience."

With this result, Vietnam U17 temporarily climbs to lead Group A. In the next match scheduled for April 16, Vietnam U17 will face Timor-Leste U17, while Malaysia U17 will have to confront host Indonesia.