AFC makes some excellent comments about the match between Vietnam U23 and South Korea U23, quoting coach Kim…

Towards a happy ending

The AFC wrote: "Forgetting the disappointment of their semi-final defeats, Vietnam U23 and South Korea U23 will both be determined to conclude their journey at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship on a positive note with a victory in the third-place match." Previously in the semi-finals, Coach Kim Sang-sik's team lost 0-3 to China U23, while his compatriots suffered a 0-1 defeat to Japan U23.

Although the dream of winning the championship ended after the loss to China U23, Vietnam U23 head coach Kim Sang-sik still placed absolute faith in the fighting spirit of his players. "We must continue to fight and give our best against South Korea. From the first match until now, the players have always faced opponents who are physically stronger, but they have shown great determination," AFC quoted Mr. Kim as saying.

AFC makes some excellent comments about the match between Vietnam U23 and South Korea U23, quoting coach Kim… - Image 1.

Vietnam U23 (left) strives for victory against South Korea U23 in the bronze medal match.

PHOTO: AFC

Coach Kim Sang-sik also affirmed that the Vietnam U23 team has matured significantly through this tournament. However, he still hopes his players will continue to improve themselves in the final match of the continental tournament.

On the other side of the battlefield, South Korea U23 coach Lee Min-sung focused on rectifying mistakes after their narrow defeat against Japan. Coach Lee frankly admitted: "Regarding scoring ability, we have a lot to improve. To win the match against Vietnam U23, the whole team needs to find balance in their playing style to create more opportunities and control the game."

Vietnam U23 returns to training, boosting morale for the third-place match against South Korea U23.

Notable statistics before the match

The AFC also provided some interesting statistics ahead of the match. Historically, this is the third meeting between the two teams in the U.23 Asian Championship. In the previous two encounters, South Korea remained undefeated with one win (2-1 in 2018) and one draw (1-1 in 2022).

Vietnam's chance: If they win the match late on January 23rd, the Vietnam U23 team will set their best record at the tournament since their historic runner-up finish in Changzhou in 2018.

The jinx for the Koreans: This is the third time the South Korean U23 team has had to play in the third-place match. On the two previous occasions, the team from the land of kimchi suffered defeats: losing to Jordan 2-3 on penalties in 2013 and losing to Qatar 0-1 in 2018.

Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, and free Viettel 4G/5G data.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/afc-noi-cuc-chat-ve-man-so-tai-giua-u23-viet-nam-va-u23-han-quoc-dan-loi-thay-kim-1852601221714001.htm