Vietnam - China: 10:30 PM on tuesday, 20/1, on VnExpress.

"We are in good spirits," goalkeeper Trung Kien shared at a press conference on the afternoon of 19/1. "The entire team will play with focus, adhering to the coaching staff's tactics. We will definitely play with 100% of our strength to secure a win for the fans."

Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien celebrates after Vietnam's 3-2 victory over UAE in the U23 Asia quarterfinals on the evening of 16/1. *Photo: AFC*

Trung Kien and his teammates are having a successful tournament, achieving a perfect record in the group stage against Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, and Saudi Arabia, as well as in the quarterfinals against UAE. In contrast, China advanced from the group stage with just 4 points, becoming the first team in history to reach the semifinals with only one goal scored.

Despite their past performance, Vietnam's top goalkeeper remains cautious, noting that China has made significant improvements. "China is currently a cohesive, strong team," he stated. "In this tournament, they have improved in all aspects. Therefore, tomorrow's match will be very exciting."

Trung Kien has been a standout player for Vietnam, making 12 crucial saves throughout the tournament. However, his Chinese counterpart, Li Hao, boasts an even more impressive record with 24 saves and no goals conceded. According to the HAGL goalkeeper, achieving such a clean sheet record is remarkable for any goalkeeper.

"The goalkeeper position always faces difficulties and challenges, so not conceding a goal after four matches is commendable," Trung Kien remarked. "Li is a good goalkeeper, possessing all the necessary skills and developing to become a top goalkeeper."

At the U23 level, Vietnam and China have faced each other 8 times across all competitions, with each team securing three wins, two draws, and three losses. In their two most recent encounters at the U22 Panda Cup 2025 friendly tournament, Vietnam won 1-0 and drew 1-1, which provides a slight psychological advantage.

Despite this, goalkeeper Trung Kien emphasized that every match and tournament is unique, demanding high concentration from the players. "We cannot assess our opponent based on past events," he stated. "We must prepare differently for each match. The entire team will play to their full potential and utilize all their strength in the upcoming matches."

Duc Dong