>> Vietnam qualifies for AFF U-19 football finals
U-19 Vietnam entered the match determined to redeem their consecutive final defeats in the two previous competitions; however, players of national coach Hoang Anh Tuan could not create any miracles against their Thai peers, who were far superior in terms of both attack combination and finishing skills.
Despite their better start, Thailand had to wait until the last minute of the first half to celebrate their opener, with Worachit’s shot hitting the leg of a Vietnamese player before going straight into the net to the helplessness of goalkeeper Thanh Tuan.
Hoang Anh Tuan made some adjustments to Vietnam’s second-half lineup seeking to equalise the score; however, his ambition was promptly extinguished in the 56th minute as Suksan made it 2-0 for Thailand with a close-range strike.
The remainder of the match saw Vietnam’s concerted efforts to find a way to the Thai goal, yet, none of their attacks were sharp enough to break through Thailand’s solid defence.
On the contrary, Thai players made very good use of their opportunities, scoring four consecutive goals with time running out to claim an aggregate 6-0 victory and the overall championship title of the 2015 season.
This is the third year in a row Vietnam have missed out on the regional U-19 football title despite being just one step away. The team qualified for the final five times in the past but they were crowned champions just once in 2007 after beating U-19 Malaysia on the home field.
In the third-place match the same day, hosts Laos overcame Malaysia 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out to claim the overall bronze medal.
Thai striker Worachit was named the top scorer of the tournament for his tally of six goals.
