U.23 Vietnam starting lineup: When Mr. Kim challenged his army!

Predicting the starting lineup of the Vietnam U.23 team under coach Kim Sang-sik is always a difficult but interesting job.

Vietnam U.23 team after Cong Phuong's goal in the final of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament

Photo: Dong Nguyen Khang

Mr. Kim kept the starting lineup of U.23 Vietnam a secret.

The Vietnam U.23 team will have the opening match of the 2026 AFC U.23 Championship qualifying round against Bangladesh U.23 at 7:00 p.m. on September 3 at Viet Tri Stadium, with the goal of finishing first in Group C to win a ticket to the continent's biggest youth football festival.

If the defense brings a lot of confidence in the stability of goalkeeper Trung Kien, the three central defenders Hieu Minh, Ly Duc, Nhat Minh and partly the two wings Phi Hoang, Anh Quan, then predicting the starting lineup in the midfield area and especially the attack will be more difficult.

It is a fact that whether it is the AFF Cup 2024, the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers or most recently the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship 2025, coach Kim Sang-sik always keeps his plans as secret as possible, only announcing the starting lineup at the last minute.

Vietnam U.23 team won the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament with an all-win record

Photo: Dong Nguyen Khang

Mr. Kim did it so well that he surprised his own team many times, such as Van Khang starting the opening match of the 2024 AFF Cup before Van Vi appeared, Hai Long and Ngoc Quang shone in the knockout round.

Or in the U.23 Southeast Asian tournament, no one expected Xuan Bac to replace Thai Son so spectacularly and effectively, or "youngest brother" Cong Phuong was unexpectedly given trust when he was given a starting position and was rewarded with the decisive goal against host Indonesia in the final.

The national teams themselves under Mr. Kim's leadership do not stick to a fixed pattern but flexibly switch between 3-4-3, 3-5-2 formations, and even switch to playing with 4 defenders to increase the number of players up front when needed.

The unknown factor of U.23 Vietnam's attack

Mr. Kim Sang-sik always brings surprises to the starting lineup of the Vietnam U.23 team.

Photo: Ngoc Linh

Based on the way coach Kim Sang-sik used his players in the two knockout matches of the 2025 U.23 Southeast Asian Championship, including the semi-finals and finals, it can be predicted that Xuan Bac will have the lowest position in midfield, protected by Xuan Truong's mobility and strong strides.

The number of players in the remaining third of the opponent's field will depend on Mr. Kim's arrangement. If the U.23 Vietnam team plays with a 3-5-2 formation, Van Khang will play freely near the penalty area, to pass the ball up to the 2 strikers.

That striker pair will be Dinh Bac and another teammate, with the partner coming from a series of candidates Quoc Viet, Viktor Le, Van Thuan, Ngoc My, Thanh Nhan... each with a different unique football playing personality.

Van Truong is a solid support in the midfield of U.23 Vietnam.

Photo: Dong Nguyen Khang

Among these, Thanh Nhan is a very notable name when ensuring communication between the back line and Dinh Bac, moving the ball widely to take advantage of the empty space left by Dinh Bac's rushing.

If coach Kim Sang-sik chooses a more balanced 3-4-2 formation, Xuan Bac and Van Truong will "carry" the midfield, while Van Khang and Thanh Nhan will play as strikers on the two wings of Dinh Bac. But don't forget the young Cong Phuong who is scoring very strongly in Indonesia.

Of course, as mentioned, what Mr. Kim Sang-sik likes to do most is to pose puzzles to opponents, giving surprise gifts in the starting lineup. But the U.23 Vietnam team will also give challenges from the young team on the field, all as one, with harmony, cohesion and determination to win.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-hinh-xuat-phat-u23-viet-nam-khi-ong-kim-thach-thuc-quan-minh-185250902211944127.htm