Post by : Meena Ariff

Vietnam’s U23 national football team has made history by advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, finishing first in Group A after a crucial 1-0 victory over the tournament hosts, Saudi Arabia, in Jeddah on Monday.

This win ended an 11-match winless streak against Saudi Arabia across all age levels, marking a major breakthrough for Vietnam’s young stars. The victory also eliminated the Saudi team from the competition despite their status as hosts.

The deciding moment came in the second half when rising star Nguyễn Đình Bắc scored a stunning goal that sealed the match. Vietnam entered the game knowing they only needed to avoid losing by more than four goals to qualify, but they went further by winning the match outright, becoming the first Vietnamese team ever to finish the group stage of a continental tournament with three wins.

Coach Kim Sang-sik made some tactical changes for the match, introducing Lê Viktor, Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ, and Nguyễn Công Phương in attack, while Võ Anh Quân replaced the injured Nguyễn Phi Hoàng at left-back to strengthen the defense. The plan was to absorb pressure and play a disciplined game.

From the first whistle, Saudi Arabia pressed aggressively, desperately needing a win to progress. However, despite launching 26 shots at goal, the home side failed to find the net. Their lack of precision in front of goal proved costly.

Vietnam's goalkeeper, Trần Trung Kiên, was outstanding throughout, making several key saves to keep the clean sheet. The closest Saudi Arabia came was just before halftime when Thamer Al-Khaibari’s header hit the post and was cleared by Trung Kiên.

In the second half, Vietnam injected fresh energy with the introduction of Đình Bắc and Nguyễn Lê Phát, which boosted their attacking threat. The breakthrough came in the 64th minute when Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ cleverly intercepted the ball from Saudi defender Awad Dahal and threaded a perfect pass to Đình Bắc. From a tight angle, Đình Bắc unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that found the back of the net, sending the Vietnamese fans into jubilation.

After scoring, Vietnam focused on defense and counterattacks. Saudi Arabia pushed forward harder, needing two goals to stay alive, which left spaces open at the back. Vietnam nearly doubled their lead late in the game when Lê Phát dribbled past three defenders but was denied by the Saudi goalkeeper.

In injury time, Vietnam created another clear chance through Nguyễn Thái Sơn, but his shot lacked power, and the match ended 1-0.

Following the match, Coach Kim Sang-sik expressed pride in his players’ performance, saying, “Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, I never imagined winning all three group matches. But the players showed great spirit and improved with each game.”

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia’s coach Luigi Di Biagio was visibly disappointed, stating, “The players gave their best, but it’s heartbreaking to lose despite taking 26 shots. Vietnam scored on their only shot on target.”

Vietnam will next face either the United Arab Emirates or Syria in the quarterfinals on Friday, with hopes high to continue their impressive run in the tournament.

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