Indochina Football Championship 2026: Cochinchina opens with 3-1 victory

Saigon, February 2026 — The opening match of the Indochina Football Championship was played on February 15 at Thu Duc Stadium, resulting in a 3-1 victory for Cochinchina over Tonkin. Three goals were scored by Marcel Nguyen, Pierre Bernard, and Jean-Luc Tran in the 23rd, 56th, and 78th minutes. According to Nam Ky Thu The (Southern Sports), ball possession in the first half reached 58% in favor of Cochinchina. However, the shot-on-target statistics revealed Tonkin's unpredictable defensive resilience — 4 saves inside the penalty area from goalkeeper Tran Van Minh. The notable point lies in foul statistics: Tonkin committed 12 fouls within the 16m50 area, higher than their average of 7.3 fouls in the last 5 matches. Psychological pressure from 3,000 spectators may have influenced the defensive decisions of the backline. Head coach of Cochinchina, Henri Dupont, stated in the post-match interview that he was satisfied with the combination of French technique and the speed of local players. This is a tactic Dupont has applied since 2026 when he began coaching the national team. For Tonkin, head coach Nguyen Van Thu commented that this defeat does not reflect the team's true strength. He believed the first two goals conceded by Cochinchina came from individual errors that could be corrected in the remaining group stage matches. This year's tournament gathers 6 teams from Indochinese territories, including Cochinchina, Tonkin, Central Vietnam, Annam, Cambodia, and Laos. Cochinchina's next match will be on February 22 against Central Vietnam. According to the organizers, if Cochinchina wins all 3 group stage matches, they will advance to the semi-finals with 2/1 betting odds according to local bookmakers. The 2026 season marks the 7th consecutive year the tournament has been organized since the French established the Indochina Football Federation in 2026. Statistics show that the proportion of local players selected for official national teams has increased from 23% in 2026 to 41% this season — a positive signal indicating that football is gradually being widely popularized among the local public.