In the simultaneous match at King Abdullah Stadium, Jordan also defeated Kyrgyzstan 1-0 with the sole goal by Ali Al Azaizeh. After three matches, Vietnam finished first in the group with 9 points. Jordan (6), Saudi Arabia (3), and Kyrgyzstan (0) followed.

This achievement sparked celebrations among the Jordanian players, from the stadium all the way to the Movenpick Jeddah City Star hotel, which was also Vietnam's base. Upon arrival, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team witnessed Jordanian players singing and dancing with several fans right at the main entrance. Mr. Kim and the players laughed at the scene.

Several Jordanian members approached to shake hands and high-five, thanking the Vietnamese members. After taking photos together, the celebration quickly concluded as players returned to their rooms to rest and prepare for dinner.

"Vietnam's victory over Saudi Arabia helped us a lot," said coach Omar Najhi at the press conference after their win against Kyrgyzstan. "But honestly, we weren't paying attention to the other match, because Jordan first had to secure its own victory."

Vietnam scored in the 64th minute, which was around the 68th minute of the Jordan - Kyrgyzstan match. At that moment, television captured Jordanian fans celebrating excitedly in the stands of King Abdullah Stadium. Many Jordanian supporters tried to shout loudly to signal the coaching staff and players for the remainder of the match.

Jordanian players and fans celebrate their quarter-final berth after defeating Kyrgyzstan 1-0 and Vietnam beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final match of group A of the 2026 u23 asian cup, 12/1/2026. Photo: AFC

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"Honestly, I didn't hear anything because I was focused on the match. I don't think the players were paying attention either," coach Najhi stated. "It was only two minutes before the end of the match that I learned Vietnam was leading Saudi Arabia."

Previously, Jordan lost to Vietnam 0-2 in their opening match. Their chances of advancing narrowed, but a subsequent 3-2 victory over hosts Saudi Arabia revived Jordan's hopes, securing their quarter-final spot to face Japan, the group B winner. Vietnam will determine its opponent after the match between Syria and UAE, taking place this evening, 13/1.

Vietnam has reached the u23 asian cup quarter-finals for the third consecutive time. For Jordan, this marks their first appearance since the 2020 tournament. However, neither team has advanced to the semi-finals since their best performances: Vietnam was runner-up in 2018, and Jordan finished third in 2013.

Hieu Luong