Vietnam will face UAE at 22:30 on friday, 16/1, with live coverage on VnExpress.

In the 2022 quarter-finals, Khang and Vietnam lost 0-2 to Arab Saudi. In the 2024 tournament, he and his teammates exited at the same stage after a 0-1 defeat against Iraq. The The Cong midfielder now has the opportunity to play in his third consecutive U23 Asian quarter-final as Vietnam takes on UAE tomorrow.

"This is my third quarter-final appearance, and I am aiming for a higher goal: victory," Khang stated at the pre-match press conference on the afternoon of 15/1. "We must prepare well, both tactically and mentally. This will be an exciting, must-watch match."

Reflecting on the two previous quarter-final exits, the 22-year-old midfielder believes Vietnam played well but conceded unnecessary goals from set pieces due to lapses in concentration. "The two most recent tournaments served as lessons for myself and the entire team to learn from, focus, and achieve better results when playing UAE," Khang emphasized.

Captain Khuat Van Khang attended the pre-match press conference for the U23 Asian quarter-final between Vietnam and UAE on the afternoon of 15/1. *Photo: AFC*

Born in 2003, Khang developed through the The Cong Viettel training academy. Despite being only 20 years old, he has regularly played in the V-League, for the U23 Vietnam team, and the national team. He previously won the SEAN Cup 2024 with Vietnam.

In 2025, the midfielder from Phuc Tho, Hanoi, captained U23 Vietnam to win the U23 Southeast Asia championship and a SEA Games 33 gold medal. With a strong record and leadership qualities, coach Kim Sang-sik reappointed him captain for the U23 Asian Championship 2026 finals. He played in all three group stage matches, scoring one penalty goal in the 19th minute of the 2-1 victory against Kyrgyzstan.

As captain, Khang consistently motivates and reminds his teammates about everything from training and daily life to match performance. "We are all trying to play well and adhere to our tactics so we can achieve victory together and bring glory to the nation," he said.

Historically, UAE holds an advantage in eight matches, with four draws and four wins. Five of these were official matches: Asiad 14 in 2002 (0-0 draw), the round of 16 at Asiad 17 in 2014 (3-1 win for UAE), the U23 Asian Championship group stage in 2016 (3-2 win for UAE), the bronze medal match at Asiad 18 in 2018 (1-1 draw, 4-3 on penalties for UAE), and the U23 Asian Championship group stage in 2020 (0-0 draw). In their two most recent friendly matches in 2022 and 2023, UAE also secured victories, winning 3-0 and 4-0, respectively.

Beyond their head-to-head advantage, Khang noted that UAE is a strong team with a balanced squad. However, this does not diminish his or his teammates' confidence. "We have held numerous meetings to study our opponents. We will step onto the field with high determination, and tomorrow's performance will be the most accurate answer," Vietnam's captain added.

Duc Dong