Singapore coach praises U.23 Vietnam as 'Asian class', Yemen coach thanks Mr. Kim for...

Both opponents U.23 Singapore and U.23 Yemen highly appreciate the strength of host U.23 Vietnam in Group C of the 2026 AFC U.23 Championship qualifiers.

Singapore coach praises U.23 Vietnam

Before Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers taking place at Viet Tri Stadium ( Phu Tho province) from September 3 to September 9 with 4 teams: U.23 Vietnam, U.23 Singapore, U.23 Yemen and U.23 Bangladesh, the opponents all showed respect for the host U.23 Vietnam at the press conference this afternoon (September 2).

"U.23 Vietnam can play at a high level in Asia, not just Southeast Asia. U.23 Vietnam is also a team for us to learn from. Mr. Kim Sang-sik is performing very well with many successes in recent times, after the time of Coach Park Hang-seo. He has brought to Vietnamese football his own unique and very impressive style of play," emphasized Coach Firdaus Kassim of U.23 Singapore.

U.23 Vietnam is highly appreciated

PHOTO: VFF

In the 2024 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, U23 Singapore also faced U23 Vietnam at Viet Tri Stadium. The young team from the Lion Island had a 2-2 draw, however, that was when U23 Vietnam had already secured a ticket to the final round and only fielded reserve players.

According to coach Kassim, U.23 Singapore will do everything possible to win tickets, even though we have to face strong opponents. "We are preparing for the tournament with high intensity and seriousness. U.23 Singapore's goal is to try our best and calculate specifically for each match.

Our strength is to try our best and play to the best of our ability with intensity," said Mr. Kassim.

Talking about the youthfulness of U.23 Singapore, Mr. Kassim did not hesitate to affirm: "Age is not important, I choose players based on performance and ability, this will also be an opportunity for me to evaluate the players for important goals in the future."

U.23 Vietnam (red shirt) drew 2-2 with U.23 Singapore in the 2024 U.23 Asian qualifiers

PHOTO: MINH TU

Yemen coach: 'Thank you coach Kim Sang-sik for your appreciation'

At the pre-match press conference, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that U.23 Yemen is the most formidable opponent in the group against U.23 Vietnam. Before coming to Vietnam, coach Amin Al Suneini and his team had undergone a thorough preparation period.

The team will be stationed in Marib City (Yemen), then travel to Fujairah (UAE) for training and friendly matches with several clubs in the country as well as in the UAE. The results of these friendly matches will be kept confidential to ensure professional confidentiality.

Three notable faces in the U.23 Yemen attack are Abdulaziz Masnoum, Qassem Al-Sharafi and Hamza Mahrous – players who have just joined the Yemen national team for the FIFA Days series in June against Bhutan and Lebanon in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Coach Amin Al Suneini shared: "Thank you Mr. Kim for evaluating U.23 Yemen as the strongest team in the group. We have a combination of experience and youth. Young U.23 Yemen players are always full of ambition. However, the upcoming matches will not be easy for U.23 Yemen. We will calculate each match, go step by step. Every tournament, every opponent is difficult. U.23 Yemen can only prepare for each match."

Mr. Al Suneini added: "U.23 Yemen has been preparing since July, playing some friendly matches at home with local clubs before coming to Vietnam. Initially, we gathered 34 players, then gradually screened, now only 23 faces officially participating in the tournament.

The goal of U.23 Yemen is to prepare the next generation of players for the Yemen national team, as well as the future of Yemeni football. Our goal is the same as the other 3 teams: to get a ticket to the AFC U.23 Championship finals."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-singapore-khen-u23-viet-nam-dang-cap-chau-a-hlv-yemen-cam-on-ong-kim-vi-185250902190457609.htm