Winning all matches in the qualifiers, U23 Vietnam has qualified for the AFC U23 Asian Cup for the sixth consecutive time
The Vietnam U23 team has secured a spot in the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup after defeating U23 Yemen 1-0 in the final match of Group C. Notably, Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team won all three matches, finishing top of the group with 9 points, marking their sixth consecutive appearance in the finals.
11/09/2025 13:44:22
In this match, Coach Kim Sang-sik continued to surprise by making as many as six changes to the starting lineup. These adjustments helped the team maintain good ball possession and control of the game.
On the other side, the U23 Yemen defense played with focus and discipline, successfully neutralizing many aerial balls and set-piece situations. Shots from Văn Khang and Hiểu Minh were not sharp enough to beat the opposing goalkeeper. In the 21st minute, Quốc Việt fell in the penalty area, but the referee did not award a penalty. Prior to that, Văn Khang (in the 10th minute) and Quốc Việt (in the 15th minute) both missed scoring opportunities.
Highlight of the first half came in injury time 45+4 when Al Dugin jumped high to head the ball dangerously, forcing goalkeeper Trung Kiên to make an excellent save and keeping the score at 0-0 after the first 45 minutes.
In the second half, U23 Yemen proactively pushed their lines higher and generated significant pressure. In the 60th minute, Trung Kiên’s goal wobbled after a cleverly executed free-kick routine, but fortunately, Ahmed Maros’s close-range shot went over the crossbar.
After a period of confusion, U23 Vietnam gradually regained control of the game. In the 70th minute, Thanh Nhàn combined well with Văn Thuận before accelerating and confidently shooting past the U23 Yemen goalkeeper, securing a valuable goal for the home team.
This opening goal boosted the confidence of Coach Kim Sang-sik’s players. Despite facing intense pressure in the final moments as U23 Yemen pushed all-out for an equalizer, the red-shirted defense stood firm. Đình Bắc also had a chance to double the lead but was unable to capitalize. The match ended with a 1-0 victory for U23 Vietnam.
U23 Vietnam secured victory in all three matches, earning a total of 9 points and topping Group C. As a result, they officially qualified for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 in Saudi Arabia. This marks the sixth consecutive time U23 Vietnam has participated in the continent’s biggest tournament for the U23 age group. Since the tournament was rebranded as the U23 Asian Cup in 2016, U23 Vietnam has never missed out on reaching the finals. Their most impressive achievement to date is finishing as runners-up at the 2018 tournament in Changzhou.
Vice Chairman Trần Anh Tú and General Secretary Nguyễn Văn Phú represented the leadership of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to congratulate and commend the U23 Vietnam team for qualifying for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup.
