Vietnam U20 Team Suffers Heavy Defeat, Coach Ikeuchi Yutaka Criticized for Lack of Experience, High Risk of Asian Cup Relegation

In the context of the U20 Asian Cup qualifiers in Asia, the Vietnam U20 national team is facing consecutive defeats that are causing concern not only for the coaching staff but also for the entire Vietnamese football system. According to former Vietnam Football Federation official Duong Vu Lam, head coach Ikeuchi Yutaka seems not fully grasping the psychology and playing styles of Vietnamese young players, resulting in poor coordination between positions on the field. Specifically, Vietnam U20 lost 0-3 to North Korea, a result seen as understandable given the opponent's strength, but then suffered a 1-2 defeat against Palestine – an opponent rated weaker – forcing public and expert questions about the team's ability to utilize squad strengths. This not only undermines U20 Vietnam's standing in the standings but also raises the relegation risk to a high level if players continue to fail to improve in the upcoming crucial match against Iran on September 6.