Tonight, 6/9, Vietnam takes on Bangladesh at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho province for their first match of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team aims for a decisive victory to set the stage for their sixth consecutive appearance in the final tournament.

Forward Nguyen Dinh Bac during a training session before the match. Photo: *VFF*

Ranked 184th by FIFA, Bangladesh is considered the weakest team in Group C, having never progressed past the qualifying rounds in six attempts. Their challenge is compounded by coach Saiful Bari Titu’s recent hospital discharge, making it likely that assistant coach Hassan Al Mamun will lead the team. Their most notable player is 19-year-old forward Fahamedul Islam, who trained with Sampdoria and currently plays for Olbia (Serie D, Italy).

Besides Islam, Bangladesh has three other players with dual citizenship. However, with the majority of their squad playing domestically, they are seen as underdogs against host Vietnam.

Vietnam enters the tournament with the 22 players who recently won the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship in Indonesia. Forward Nguyen Thanh Nhan returns from injury, while overseas Vietnamese midfielder Tran Thanh Trung was omitted as coach Kim prioritized maintaining a stable core. The South Korean coach confirmed the team has thoroughly studied their opponents, with less data available on Bangladesh and Singapore, while Yemen is considered the most unpredictable.

With the exception of Khuat Van Khang, who has a minor muscle strain, most players are ready. “Our goal is to win each match, and our immediate focus is overcoming Bangladesh to join in the spirit of National Day, 2/9”, coach Kim said.

The 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, taking place from 6/9 to 12/9, feature 44 teams divided into 11 groups. The 11 group winners, the four best second-placed teams, and host Saudi Arabia will qualify for the final tournament. Vietnam is in Group C with Bangladesh, Singapore, and Yemen.

Quang Dung - Hoang An