At Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, U23 Vietnam faced strong pressure from the host team, who dominated possession and created several dangerous chances from the opening minutes. However, Vietnam’s defense played with discipline and organization, effectively neutralizing Saudi Arabia’s attacking efforts.
Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien was a standout performer, making a series of crucial saves to keep a clean sheet throughout the match. At the other end, U23 Vietnam remained patient, waiting for opportunities from counter-attacks.
In the 65th minute, Nguyen Dinh Bac made the most of a rare chance, scoring the decisive goal to put U23 Vietnam ahead. The goal helped ease the pressure, and the Vietnamese side successfully protected their lead until the final whistle.
This victory marked the first time U23 Vietnam have won all three group-stage matches at an AFC U23 Asian Cup. Previously, their best group-stage performance was six points at the 2024 edition. The result not only secured qualification but also highlighted Vietnam’s growing maturity and composure on the continental stage.
After the match, head coach Kim Sang-sik praised his players’ fighting spirit and confirmed that the team would quickly shift focus to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the head coach of U23 Saudi Arabia admitted his team lacked efficiency in finishing and acknowledged that U23 Vietnam deserved to top Group A.
According to the schedule, U23 Vietnam will face the runner-up of Group B in the quarterfinals, with the match set to kick off at 10:30 p.m. (Vietnam time) on January 16, 2026.
HY