Coach Kim Sang Sik shared some special thoughts before the match against China U23.

Ahead of the semi-final match against China U23, coach Kim Sang Sik once again emphasized the amazing journey that Vietnam U23 has had, while affirming that the team's goal remains to be achieved.

"Looking back at our journey in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, we went through difficult matches against very strong opponents, from U23 Jordan, U23 Kyrgyzstan, then the host U23 Saudi Arabia, and most recently U23 UAE in the quarterfinals. In every match and every circumstance, my players never stopped being determined, never giving up, and always moving forward," Coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed.

"Those qualities have brought victories and fulfilled the expectations of the fans who have always followed and supported the team from home. I am very happy that the Vietnam U23 team has received so much attention and encouragement. This provides great motivation, pushing us towards victory," the South Korean strategist continued.

Coach Kim Sang Sik is very happy that the Vietnam U23 team overcame many challenges. Photo: AFC

Coach Kim Sang Sik surprised everyone by sharing a funny detail: "Even though I'm here, I still keep up with information from Vietnam, so I know that fans have been photoshopping me with Harry Potter, which looks quite funny."

Explaining his decision to select goalkeeper Trung Kien for the pre-match press conference, the 1976-born coach said: “Trung Kien has played excellently in this tournament, especially his spectacular performance against U23 Saudi Arabia. In the semi-final against U23 China, the performance of Trung Kien and Li Hao from U23 China will certainly be worth watching.”

But the journey of the Vietnam U23 team is not over yet. Photo: AFC

Regarding the semi-final match against China U23, the head coach of Vietnam U23 commented: “I know that a match against a Chinese team is always important, and I also see the determination and will to win of the players. That is why we are trying our best and preparing thoroughly for the match with only one goal: to win a ticket to the final.”

The U23 Vietnam vs U23 China semi-final match will take place at 10:30 PM on January 20th at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Saudi Arabia.

Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-trai-long-dac-biet-truc-tran-dau-u23-trung-quoc-2483294.html