Asian newspapers say one thing about U23 Vietnam after the big victory

(Dan Tri) - ESPN commented on the strength of U23 Vietnam after a big win against U23 Laos in the opening match of the U23 Southeast Asian tournament.

In the opening match of the U23 Southeast Asian tournament, U23 Vietnam easily won 3-0 against U23 Laos. From a certain perspective, coach Kim Sang Sik's team showed the class of a championship candidate.

U23 Vietnam easily won against U23 Laos (Photo: VFF).

Commenting on the strength of U23 Vietnam, author Gabriel Tan wrote on ESPN: “U23 Vietnam did not disappoint fans in the opening match of the U23 Southeast Asian tournament.

Vietnam U23 won 3-0 against Laos U23. It took them only 19 minutes to score the opening goal thanks to Khuat Van Khang. Although only 22 years old, Van Khang has played 21 times for the national team and has impressed since his youth team, especially his stunning free kick at the 2018 AFC U16 Championship.

Although he has not been a regular starter for the national team, Van Khang is still a familiar name on the call-up list. When competing at the U23 level, he is expected to be a key factor in helping U23 Vietnam aim for a third consecutive championship in the U23 Southeast Asian tournament.

Along with Van Khang, a less experienced name is Hieu Minh. This central defender excellently scored a double to help U23 Vietnam win.

Vietnamese football focuses on long-term development by giving young players early opportunities. They still maintain a certain stability in terms of force and experience. Many players such as Van Khang, Dinh Bac, Van Truong, Thai Son even played for the Vietnamese national team in the 2023 Asian Cup. Striker Quoc Viet won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship with the U23 Vietnam team in 2022 and 2023.

U23 Vietnam proves its mettle as a championship candidate (Photo: VFF).

Commenting on U23 Thailand, ESPN wrote: "Stability in terms of force is something that Thai football has often maintained in the past, despite the fact that in this tournament, they brought a somewhat inexperienced squad.

Of the 23 players on the list, only three have played for the national team, with Yotsakorn Burapha and Phanthamit Praphanth having only played twice and once for the Thai national team respectively. Buriram United’s young talent, Seksan Ratree, is the only one who has played regularly at the national team level.

However, Thailand has never lacked talent, as was evident in their 4-0 win over Timor Leste in Group C last night (July 19).

Despite being only 20 years old, Yotsakorn is a phenomenon at the U23 level, averaging a goal every two games. He opened the scoring with a powerful header from a corner. By the 50th minute, the match was over after goals from Thanawut Phochai and Seksan Ratree, before Chanawit Sealao sealed the victory with a delicate finish in the 74th minute.

In the final round of the group stage, U23 Vietnam and U23 Thailand only need to avoid defeat against U23 Cambodia and U23 Myanmar to qualify for the semi-finals. However, both teams will likely be determined to win convincingly to confirm their position as championship candidates.

Another win would help solidify their position as top contenders, even though Indonesia U23 are still considered the number one candidate. However, the team from the archipelago has a low risk of being eliminated.

Indonesia U23 only won by a narrow margin against Philippines U23, while Philippines beat Malaysia 2-0. If Malaysia defeats Indonesia, it is likely that Group A will have three teams with 6 points each. It is not impossible that the second-placed team in Group A will be the second-placed team with the best record and will qualify for the next round.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/bao-chau-a-noi-mot-dieu-ve-u23-viet-nam-sau-chien-thang-dam-20250720121327067.htm