Renowned newspaper Sina believes that media praise, an excited mindset, and fan expectations could be a "double-edged sword" for Vietnam ahead of their U23 Asian Cup 2026 semi-final match against China.
After watching Vietnam U23's quarter-final match against UAE, Richard Harcus said he observed a very different football landscape in Vietnam after 12 years of living there.
Fitness, spirit, and the ability to decide matches are prominent strengths of Vietnam highlighted in major Chinese newspapers after their win against UAE in the U23 Asian Cup 2026 quarterfinals.
The United Arab Emirates only needs a draw, while Syria must win their decisive match to advance to the U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals, where they will face Vietnam. Kick-off is at 23:30 tonight.
Following head coach Kim Sang-sik's tactical directive to exploit the flanks, forward Nguyen Dinh Bac scored a beautiful goal, helping Vietnam defeat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final Group A match of the U23 Asian Cup 2026 on 12/1.
Chinese media has lauded Vietnam's defense, suggesting coach Kim Sang-sik's squad could eliminate host Saudi Arabia in the final U23 Asian Cup 2026 group stage match.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website stated that coach Kim Sang-sik's substitution decisions helped Vietnam defeat Kyrgyzstan in the U23 Asian Cup 2026 group stage.
Thai media is impressed as Vietnam secures two consecutive wins in the group stage, significantly boosting their chances of reaching the AFC U23 Asian Cup quarter-finals.
Football page Krian Buriram predicted Vietnam would lose to Jordan 2-3 after leading 2-0 in the first half, but coach Kim Sang-sik's team ultimately secured a victory in their U23 Asian Cup opener.
The official website of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) commented that Vietnam secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Jordan in their opening match of Group A at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals.
