On the evening of 12/1 at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Saudi Arabia dominated possession with 60% and unleashed 26 shots, with 7 on target, but failed to breach Vietnam's defense. In contrast, Vietnam managed only four shots, scoring from their first on-target attempt via forward Nguyen Dinh Bac in the 67th minute. This marks Saudi Arabia's first-ever loss to Vietnam. In 11 previous encounters across all levels, from U17 to U20, U23, and national teams, Saudi Arabia had won 10 and drawn one.

"The Saudi Arabian players gave their all, but the outcome is truly heartbreaking. A painful defeat", coach Luigi Di Biagio said. "It's shameful to have 26 shots and still lose, especially when Vietnam scored from their first shot on target".

Coach Luigi Di Biagio during Saudi Arabia's 0-1 loss to Vietnam in the final group A match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 12/1/2026. *Photo: AFC*

In this match, Saudi Arabia maintained their characteristic technical play and short passing, driven by the dynamism of Musab Al Juwayr, Abdulaziz Al Elewai, and Faisal Al Subiani. Entering the game needing a win to secure a quarter-final spot, the hosts created numerous dangerous opportunities. However, their shots lacked the precision to beat goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien. In the 43rd minute, the post also denied a header from Thamer Al Khaibri.

Coach Di Biagio acknowledged football's unpredictability but did not believe his team played poorly in the second half. "We created about four clear chances in the remaining 45 minutes, but as the game progressed, things became tougher", he stated. "The conceded goal affected our attacking momentum. I tried making substitutions, even risking a player like Hammam Al Hammami who was not in optimal physical condition".

The Italian coach then praised Vietnam's youth football for its maturity, development, and good organization. However, he also suggested that stronger teams await coach Kim Sang-sik's squad in subsequent rounds.

Individually, Di Biagio commended Nguyen Dinh Bac for creating several good attacking situations after coming on as a substitute in the second half. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Trung Kien made impressive and experienced saves. "He is very good at slowing down the game's tempo. This is normal because Vietnam only needed a draw to top the group", he added.

Key moments from Saudi Arabia's 0-1 loss to Vietnam.

Saudi Arabia finished third in Group A with 3 points. Vietnam topped the group with 9 points, while Jordan secured 6 points. Kyrgyzstan finished last after losing all three matches. In the quarter-finals on 16/1, Jordan will face Japan, and Vietnam will play either Syria or UAE.

This marks the third time Saudi Arabia has exited the AFC U23 Asian Cup at the group stage, following their campaigns in 2016 and 2018. They also become the third host nation to be eliminated from the group stage, after Oman (2013) and China (2018).

Coach Di Biagio suggested that the Saudi Arabian Football Federation needs to explore creating more platforms for young players to compete and gain experience. "This is not just an issue for the U23 team but also for the national team. We need projects to help young players get more playing time", he stated.

Di Biagio, born in 1971, was a prominent Italian midfielder from 1995 to 2005. At the club level, he scored 36 goals in 303 appearances for Roma and Inter Milan.

After retiring in 2007, Di Biagio transitioned into coaching, working with Italy's U20 and U21 teams from 2011 to 2019. In february 2018, he was appointed interim coach of the Italy national team, replacing Gian Piero Ventura, for two friendly matches: a 0-2 loss to Argentina and a 1-1 draw with England.

After leaving the national team setup, Di Biagio was appointed coach of SPAL but could not prevent the Serie A club from being relegated after the 2019-2020 season. He then spent two months managing Dinamo City in Albania at the end of 2023 before joining Saudi Arabia's U23 team at the beginning of 2025.

Hieu Luong