Historically, this is the first time South Korea has fallen to Vietnam at the U23 level – and as described by the South Korean media, it's a wake-up call. OSEN begins its commentary with a bitter tone: "Vietnam's U23 team has risen in an unbelievable way. Meanwhile, South Korea's U23 team, instead of reviving after the semi-finals, continues to plunge itself into a deep crisis." According to OSEN , this defeat is not simply a result, but a culmination of problems that have plagued South Korea's U23 team throughout the tournament.
“Before entering the third-place match, both teams carried the burden of disappointment. Vietnam U23 suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat against China U23 in the semi-finals, while South Korea U23 lost 0-1 to Japan U23. However, the difference lies in how they reacted after the setback. Vietnam U23 corrected their mistakes, while we repeated our own errors,” OSEN commented.
Vietnam U23 (in red jerseys) defeated South Korea U23 for the first time.
PHOTO: AFC
Vietnam U23 staged an incredible comeback, deservedly securing third place overall.
Throughout the 120 minutes of play, the South Korean U23 team dominated possession and had more shots on goal, but continued to struggle in their attacking organization. Chosun Sports bluntly criticized: "We played a U-shaped formation, meaningless ball control, and opened the door for the Vietnamese U23 team to counter-attack. The Vietnamese U23 team was faster, more efficient, and especially dangerous in decisive moments."
Twice trailing, and twice struggling to equalize, the South Korean U23 team still couldn't impose their game as expected, even when Vietnam were down to 10 men in the second half. "Despite having a numerical advantage, the South Korean U23 team still struggled with ill-prepared crosses and disjointed passing combinations," SPORTALKOREA described.
When the match had to be decided by a penalty shootout, the psychological pressure most clearly exposed the fragility of the South Korean U23 team. Money Today Sports called it "a real disaster," and wrote: "When the match was decided by penalties, everyone understood it was a complete defeat for the South Korean U23 team. At the same time, the missed penalty in the seventh round, while the Vietnamese U23 team successfully converted theirs, brought to a close a haunting evening for our country's youth football."
What pained the South Korean media the most was the historical context. Before this match, the South Korean U23 team was undefeated against Vietnam with 6 wins and 3 draws. “All statistics, all historical advantages collapsed in just one match,” OSEN admitted. The newspaper even called the defeat against Vietnam U23 a “shameful record following the falls against Uzbekistan U23 and Japan U23 – teams two years younger than us.”
Conversely, the South Korean media showed clear respect for the Vietnamese U23 team. "The Vietnamese U23 team lost to the Chinese U23 team in the semi-finals, but they didn't lose their spirit. They fought to the end and punished our mistakes," wrote SPORTALKOREA.
Vietnam U23 finished third in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
PHOTO: TED TRAN
Not only the U.23 Vietnamese players, but also coach Kim Sang-sik is being mentioned as a symbol of tenacity and resilience, as his team maintained their defensive structure and composure even in unfavorable situations.
Chosun Sports concluded sarcastically: “Position-based football is only for truly strong teams. When you lack the necessary skill, it just turns into meaningless passing. The South Korean U23 team has lost the values that were once their strengths – physical fitness, speed, and direct play – in pursuit of a philosophy they are not ready for.”
Meanwhile, OSEN concluded its commentary: “The 7-6 victory on penalties not only means a bronze medal for Vietnam U23 but also marks a historic milestone, where a Southeast Asian team forced a leading Asian football nation to re-evaluate itself. Vietnam U23 rose up in a truly powerful way. As for South Korea U23, if they don't change, the crisis will not end here.”
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bao-han-quoc-u23-viet-nam-dung-day-that-kho-tin-chung-ta-that-bai-dang-bi-coi-la-tham-hoa-185260124011901649.htm
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