Identify the first two teams to secure semi-final spots in the National U21 Championship.

2026 National U21 Football Championship Finals: Hanoi Club and The Cong Viettel obtain tickets to the semi-finals of the 2026 National U21 Football Championship.

On the afternoon of July 20, the initial two quarterfinal matches of the 2026 National Under-21 Football Championship took place excitingly, thereby determining the first two teams to appear in the semi-finals: Hanoi and The Cong Viettel. In the quarterfinal between Hanoi and Hanoi Police, the capital team were the more proactive starters, controlling possession and constantly applying pressure on the opponent's goal. Meanwhile, Hanoi Police opted for a tight defensive style, waiting for counterattack opportunities.

After many missed chances, Hanoi broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Hong Phong successfully converted a penalty, putting his team ahead. However, just before the first half ended, Khai Binh made good use of an attacking situation to score the equalizer, making it 1-1 for Hanoi Police.

Moving into the second half, Hanoi continued to control the game, but another surprise occurred in the 60th minute when Khai Binh completed his brace, putting Hanoi Police ahead 2-1 after a sharp counterattack. Not giving up, Hanoi increased the pressure and in the 70th minute, Xuan Toan scored, leveling the score at 2-2.

The two teams could not decide a winner in regular time and were forced into a penalty shootout. There, Hanoi showed more composure, winning 4-2, thereby booking their place in the semi-finals.

In the other quarterfinal encounter, The Cong Viettel and PVF-CAND created a tightly contested match as both were very familiar with each other's playing style. After more than 20 minutes of cautious play, the turning point came in the 24th minute when Hoang Khanh finished accurately, scoring the only goal of the match, giving The Cong Viettel the lead.

In the remaining time, PVF-CAND pushed their formation high in search of an equalizer, but could not break through the well-organized defense of The Cong Viettel. The military team maintained their 1-0 advantage until the end, thereby securing a place in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, the defending champions PVF-CAND officially ended their run in the tournament.