The 'steel' defense helped U.23 Vietnam win the 33rd SEA Games: Breaking the defensive record?

U.23 Vietnam has a solid shield, with a team of quality goalkeepers and defenders to aim for the journey to regain the SEA Games gold medal.

The pragmatic version of U.23 Vietnam

In the Southeast Asian playground, U.23 Vietnam is the most successful team, with consecutive championships from 2019 to present.

Specifically, U.23 Vietnam won the gold medal at SEA Games 30 (2019) and 31 (2022). At the U.23 Southeast Asian tournament, young Vietnamese players excelled in winning the championship in 2022, 2023 and 2025.

The success of Vietnamese youth football mainly comes from a solid defense. U.23 Vietnam won the SEA Games 30 with only 4 goals conceded after 7 matches, the least in the tournament. 3 years later, Coach Park Hang-seo and his team set an even more impressive record: a clean sheet throughout the tournament (the first time in history).

U.23 Vietnam has a solid defense with Hieu Minh (number 4), Nhat Minh (number 16) or Ly Duc (far right)

PHOTO: VFF

At the U.23 Asian Championship, coach Dinh The Nam's U.23 Vietnam won the championship in 2022 with a clean sheet, despite constantly changing the lineup, sometimes having to use the goalkeeper as a striker because many players were infected with Covid-19. In 2023, coach Hoang Anh Tuan's U.23 Vietnam only conceded 2 goals in 4 matches, maintaining the championship record with the strongest defense in the tournament. Most recently, coach Kim Sang-sik's U.23 Vietnam also won the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship with the best defense, only conceding 2 goals in 4 matches.

The repeated defensive achievements show that Vietnamese youth football is passing on the spirit of discipline and tightness through many generations. Regardless of the change in players or coaches, U.23 Vietnam is still built on a foundation of careful and solid defense, thanks to a quality team of goalkeepers and defenders.

Building a defense

At the 33rd SEA Games, coach Kim Sang-sik has a reliable defense. The trio of Nguyen Hieu Minh, Pham Ly Duc, and Nguyen Nhat Minh have kept a clean sheet in 5 of the last 7 matches at the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament and the 2026 Asian U.23 qualifiers.

Hieu Minh and Nhat Minh joined the Vietnam national team in October, with Hieu Minh starting and scoring an own goal in the return match against Nepal. Ly Duc joined the national team in March and June, playing 45 minutes against Malaysia in the 0-4 loss at Bukit Jalil.

The opportunity given by Mr. Kim reflects the potential of the young central defenders. Nhat Minh is on the rise, with Hai Phong FC surprisingly in the top 3. Hieu Minh and PVF-CAND, although struggling to avoid relegation (ranked 13th), but the chance to compete with famous strikers also helps the central defender born in 2004 to improve.

Hieu Minh (left) headed the ball leading to a goal for the Vietnamese team in his debut match.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Ly Duc is the most difficult name, when having to compete for a starting position with many high-class seniors at Hanoi Police Club such as Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Tran Dinh Trong, Hugo Gomes, Adou Minh. However, being able to practice with good teammates, under the guidance of coach Alexandre Polking, is an ideal environment for Ly Duc to advance. At the same time, there are many quality backups for Ly Duc such as Le Van Ha (Hanoi), Dinh Quang Kiet (HAGL). That is a strong enough force for Mr. Kim to rotate.

The goal of the U.23 Vietnam team is also guarded by the "wall" Tran Trung Kien, the goalkeeper who has kept a clean sheet in 5 official matches for the U.23 Vietnam team, then also kept a clean sheet in his debut match for the Vietnam national team.

With a strong, resilient and stable goalkeeper like Trung Kien, coach Kim Sang-sik can rest assured that the defense structure is solid down to every detail. Being "tested by fire" in pressure matches from club level to national team level has forged a well-rounded goalkeeper, worthy of becoming a mainstay.

Besides the coordination and steadfastness shown, the U.23 Vietnam defense is also tall, with Trung Kien (1.91 m), Quang Kiet (1.96 m), Ly Duc (1.82 m), Hieu Minh (1.84 m), Van Ha (1.84 m), Van Binh (1.83 m)...

Thanks to that, U.23 Vietnam can limit the number of goals conceded from high balls, and also turn their height into a powerful attacking weapon. In the U.23 Southeast Asia tournament, Mr. Kim's central defenders scored 3 goals, as many as... the strikers.

With a comprehensive offensive and defensive line, another record may appear at SEA Games 33.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hang-thu-thep-giup-u23-viet-nam-vo-dich-sea-games-33-pha-ky-luc-phong-ngu-185251125194610019.htm