Vietnam vs. Bangladesh: 7 p.m. Wednesday, 3/9, on VnExpress.

Vietnam's first challenge is Bangladesh, a football nation ranked 184th by FIFA and considered the weakest in Group C. The South Asian representative also faces difficulties as head coach Saiful Bari Titu was ill and only discharged from the hospital on the afternoon of 2/9. It is likely that assistant coach Hassan Al Mamun will take charge of the opening match at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho.

Most of Bangladesh's players compete domestically. Their most notable player is Fahamedul Islam, who developed his skills in Italy. The forward, born in 2006, trained at Sampdoria and currently plays for Olbia in Serie D. However, he only joined the team last night, so his chance to play remains uncertain.

Vietnam's players won the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship in Indonesia. Photo: Hai Tu

Vietnam's players won the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship in Indonesia. Photo: Hai Tu

"He is a future star for the national team," assistant coach Hassan said at the pre-match press conference. "We have many other potential players and are determined to achieve good results. We hope this generation of players can go far."

In addition to Islam, the visiting team has three players with multiple nationalities. Midfielder Cuba Mitchell has English and Jamaican roots, while Fahmeed Salik and defender Zayyan Ahmed were born in England and the US, respectively.

Bangladesh has never advanced past the U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in six tournaments. Meanwhile, Vietnam only missed the 2013 tournament. This is also the fourth time Vietnam has hosted a group stage of the U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, following the 2018, 2020, and 2024 tournaments.

Vietnam's squad for the tournament consists of the 22 players who recently won the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship in Indonesia. Forward Nguyen Thanh Nhan returns after a significant absence due to injury in the previous tournament. Coach Kim Sang-sik wants to maintain the core group that has trained and played well together. This is also partly why Vietnamese-Bulgarian midfielder Tran Thanh Trung was not retained.

"Trung is a quality player with good basic skills and determination, and he will have a bright future," coach Kim said. "He will be a quality addition for the future."

Vietnamese-Bulgarian midfielder Tran Thanh Trung (center) trains with the U23 Vietnam team on 2/9 in Phu Tho. Photo: Hoang Tung

Vietnamese-Bulgarian midfielder Tran Thanh Trung (center) trains with the U23 Vietnam team on 2/9 in Phu Tho. Photo: Hoang Tung

Most of the players are in good condition, except for Khuat Van Khang who has a slight muscle strain but can still play. Coach Kim said he has studied the three opponents in Group C. He noted a lack of quality video footage for Singapore and Bangladesh, while Yemen is the most unpredictable.

"We aim to win each match," the South Korean coach said. "First, the team needs to beat Bangladesh to join in the atmosphere of celebrating Vietnam's 80th National Day."

The 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers take place from 3/9 to 9/9, with 44 teams divided into 11 groups in 11 countries. The teams play a round-robin format, with the top 11 teams and the four best second-placed teams joining host nation Saudi Arabia in the finals.

Vietnam U23 Football Team Roster:

Goalkeepers (3): Tran Trung Kien (HAGL), Cao Van Binh (SLNA), Nguyen Tan (Cong An TP HCM).

Defenders (7): Le Van Ha (Ha Noi FC), Nguyen Hieu Minh, Vo Anh Quan (PVF-CAND), Dang Tuan Phong (The Cong Viettel), Pham Ly Duc (Cong An Ha Noi), Nguyen Duc Anh (Da Nang), Nguyen Nhat Minh (Hai Phong).

Midfielders (9): Nguyen Van Truong (Ha Noi FC), Nguyen Xuan Bac (PVF-CAND), Nguyen Cong Phuong, Khuat Van Khang (The Cong Viettel), Pham Minh Phuc (Cong An Ha Noi), Nguyen Thai Son, Le Van Thuan (Thanh Hoa), Nguyen Phi Hoang (Da Nang), Viktor Le (Ha Tinh).

Forwards (4): Nguyen Thanh Nhan (PVF-CAND), Nguyen Dinh Bac (Cong An Ha Noi), Nguyen Ngoc My (Thanh Hoa), Nguyen Quoc Viet (Ninh Binh).

Hieu Luong