Waiting for Vietnam U23 to overcome difficulties

Vietnam U23 will face Jordan U23 in their opening match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship. The personnel disadvantages right before the match require the entire team to make a great effort and demonstrate their resilience to overcome the difficulties.

On the afternoon of January 5th, coach Kim Sang-sik officially announced the list of 23 players for the Vietnam U23 team participating in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. It's regrettable that Vĩ Hào had to leave the team, leaving them facing further challenges regarding squad selection.

Vietnam U23 aims for victory in their opening match. Photo: VFF

Compared to the preliminary list previously registered with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), coach Kim Sang-sik has made a notable adjustment. Young midfielder Nguyen Le Phat has been named in the official squad, replacing Bui Vi Hao. Vi Hao's absence is very regrettable, because despite his efforts in training and recovery and participating in the "dress rehearsal" match against U23 Syria (December 30, 2025), he cannot guarantee optimal fitness for the difficult matches in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals.

Goalkeeper Pham Dinh Hai has been called up as a replacement for Nguyen Tan, who suffered an injury. Thanks to the efforts of the VFF's functional departments, along with the support of the AFC and the host country's organizing committee, the goalkeeper received his visa on the afternoon of January 5th, 2026. The VFF will arrange for him to fly to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible to join the Vietnam U23 team.

In the pre-match press conference, Coach Kim Sang-sik stated: “The Vietnam U23 team is considered the weakest in Group A, but we are determined to reach the quarterfinals. We will play with focus and show a strong spirit against three strong opponents. The players have had good preparation at the SEA Games 33 in Thailand in terms of organization, physical fitness, and skills. The gold medal won at the Games also gave the team confidence.”

Coach Kim Sang-sik also emphasized to his players the importance of this continental-level tournament. It is the highest level that Coach Kim Sang-sik and the Vietnam U23 team have ever participated in. He stressed: “The upcoming opponents are stronger and the environment is more competitive than in previous tournaments, but the team maintains its belief in achieving good results.”

Vietnam U23's opponent in their opening match is Jordan U23. Historically, Jordan U23 has won two and drawn one match against Vietnam U23. Jordan U23 won 3-1 in the group stage of the 2016 AFC U23 Championship and drew 0-0 in the group stage of the 2020 tournament. In a friendly match on April 10, 2024, the two teams drew 0-0, with Jordan U23 winning after a penalty shootout.

Jordan U23 coach Omar Najhi said: “I hope the team starts with a win, which will give us more freedom to play better in the following matches. Good results and daily progress prove that coach Kim is doing a good job. He has created a dangerous team for any opponent. I respect and wish coach Kim all the best in the upcoming matches and for the rest of his career.”

The Jordan U23 coach also pointed out the Vietnamese U23 players who impressed him: Nguyen Dinh Bac, Khuat Van Khang, and Nguyen Phi Hoang.

This is a crucial time for the Vietnam U23 team to show high levels of focus and determination to overcome difficulties. The continental tournament will be a very challenging test. Central defender Ly Duc affirmed: "We will focus on playing well in each match and are ready to face the challenges at the continental level."

The match between Vietnam U23 and Jordan U23 will take place at 6:30 PM on January 6th.

AFC assigns referee to officiate the match between Vietnam U23 and Jordan U23.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced the refereeing team for the opening match of Group A in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. Of particular note is the referee for the match between Vietnam U23 and Jordan U23. This responsibility has been assigned to Choi Hyun-jai, a South Korean referee.

The match will take place at 6:30 PM on January 6th (Vietnam time) at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). This opening match for coach Kim Sang-sik's team is crucial in their race to qualify for the next round in Group A.

Mr. Choi Hyun-jai has officiated numerous matches involving Vietnamese football teams at both youth and regional levels. The Vietnam U23 team is also familiar with this referee, having previously officiated at the SEA Games, the U23 Southeast Asian Championship, and many tournaments under the AFC system.

Most recently, in the 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers held at Viet Tri Stadium in September 2025, referee Choi Hyun-jai officiated the match between Vietnam U23 and Singapore U23. The match went smoothly, with little controversy regarding the officiating.

Also on January 6th, the remaining match of Group A between the host team U23 Saudi Arabia and U23 Kyrgyzstan will take place at 23:00. This match will be officiated by referee Fu Ming (China).

HH

Source: https://cand.com.vn/so-tay-the-thao/cho-u23-viet-nam-vuot-kho-i793275/