Following their victory at SEA Games 33 in Thailand, Vietnam U23 are focusing on preparation for the final round of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026. The tournament takes place in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 24, 2026. Vietnam U23 aim for advancing as far as possible in the tournament.
According to the schedule, U23 Vietnam are in Group A. They will face Jordan U23 on January 6, Kyrgyzstan U23 on January 9, and the hosts Saudi Arabia U23 on January 12. Vietnam U23 will keep the core lineup that proved their competence and resilience with the gold medal in the 33rd SEA Games. Additionally, Coach Kim Sang Sik has called up 2 more players: defender Le Van Ha from Hanoi and forward Bui Vi Hao from Becamex Ho Chi Minh City. These are familiar faces who have been frequently selected by Coach Kim Sang Sik in recent training camps.
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| Vietnam U23 are ready for the AFC U23 Asian Cup (Source: VFF) |
Vietnam U23 are currently training in Qatar to improve their physical fitness and refine their playing style. During the training session, Vietnam U23 play a friendly match against Syria U23 before finalizing their official line-up. Following the training session, Vietnam U23 will head to Saudi Arabia on January 1, 2026 to compete in the final round of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026.
Regarding the prospects of Vietnam U23 in Group A, experts believe the team has a strong chance of being one of the 2 top sides to advance to the quarterfinals. However, Vietnam U23 must remain focused, as Jordan U23 and Kyrgyzstan U23 are showing they are the favorites at this year’s tournament. In the qualifiers, Kyrgyzstan U23 secured a 2-1 win over Palestine, a 2-2 draw against former champions Uzbekistan, and a 6-0 victory over Sri Lanka to top their group. Meanwhile, Jordan U23 are considered a formidable opponent, especially following their historic achievement of their senior national team qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, with many of those players still eligible for the U23 tournament.
In the U23 Asian Cup 2018, Vietnamese players created a fantastic surprise by defeating many of the continent's strong teams. That year, Vietnam U23 reached the final and only narrowly lost 1-2 to Uzbekistan U23 in a match that lasted through two periods of extra time. Now, under the guidance of Coach Kim Sang Sik, Vietnam U23 are showing great confidence following an outstanding qualifying round where they won all three matches, scoring 13 goals without conceding any. Furthermore, SEA Games 33 gold medal is providing a great source of excitement to Vietnam U23. Vietnam U23 players are in high spirit and are ready to achieve their new goal in the upcoming tournament.
P.H
Translated by H.N
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