On the afternoon of April 5 (local time), the U17 Vietnam team entered a training session to prepare for the second match in the group stage, meeting an opponent that was considered very strong, U17 Japan.
In order to aim for a good result against Japan U17 - the strongest opponent in Group B and also a championship candidate of the tournament, coach Cristiano Roland spent more time at the end of the training session to practice coordination skills and finishing goal.
The Brazilian coach has set very strict requirements for his players in each shot, while emphasizing that when facing a strong opponent, every opportunity in front of the goal needs to be fully exploited.
According to the match schedule, the U17 Vietnam team will meet U17 Japan in the second match of Group B, taking place on April 7. Goalkeeper Hoa Xuan Tin was one of the factors contributing to the U16 Vietnam squad that won 1-0 against U16 Japan at the 2024 U16 International Tournament held in China.
He commented: Japan U17s have made many changes compared to before, but they are always a championship candidate for the tournament. As for U17 Vietnam, the whole team determined that in the group stage, every match was a final match. We have also studied our opponents carefully and always aim to win 3 points".
I also watched the video of the U17 Japan match myself and saw that most of their goals came from a cross for the No. 10 striker to head.
I discussed with my teammates who were with me in the penalty area. I myself will try to control the penalty area well, and as long as we are above, we will have support from our teammates, Xuan Tin added.
Regarding his ability to keep a clean sheet against Japan U17, Xuan Tin shared: "This cannot be predicted, but if I continue to be trusted, I will try my best".
The match between the U17 Vietnam team and the U17 Japan team will take place at 22:00 on April 7 (Vietnam time).
