On the evening of January 20th, Nguyen Hue pedestrian street was packed with fans who gathered to watch and cheer on the Vietnam U23 team in their semi-final match against China U23 at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
Hours before kick-off, over 500 meters of Nguyen Hue pedestrian street (Saigon ward) was ablaze with the red of the Vietnamese flag. Thousands of young people, families, and tourists arrived early, carrying national flags, banners, and other items to cheer on the team.
The match against China U23 is considered a crucial milestone in the journey of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team. It's not just a match to qualify for the final; it's also an opportunity for fans to place high hopes on the young generation of Vietnamese football players.
Along Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in Ho Chi Minh City, six large LED screens were installed for people to watch the match. As the match time approached, the crowds grew larger, creating a dense sea of people in front of the screens.
The atmosphere on the pedestrian street erupted right from the start of the match, as the Vietnam U23 team took the initiative and pushed forward. In the 2nd minute, Khuat Van Khang crossed the ball into the opponent's penalty area, creating the first notable moment of the match, causing many fans to jump up and cheer.
Midway through the first half, spectators on the pedestrian street were worried when center-back Hieu Minh suffered a serious collision and had to leave the field due to injury. Despite this, the cheers continued unabated, boosting the morale of the players on the field.
In the second half, the game became more difficult for the Vietnam U23 team as the China U23 team capitalized on their opportunities to score three goals. Faced with this unfavorable turn of events, many fans fell silent for a moment, then continued chanting "Vietnam, keep going!", encouraging the players to fight until the very last minute.
In front of the LED screens, many people held their heads in disappointment after the U23 Vietnam team's attacking efforts failed to produce goals. Fans expressed their regret when defender Ly Duc had to leave the field after receiving a red card.
The match ended with a disappointing 0-3 defeat for Vietnam U23. Coach Kim Sang Sik's team will face South Korea U23 in the third-place match, while China U23 will advance to the final against Japan U23. However, when the final whistle blew, many fans still applauded to encourage and show their support for the young team.
Despite the U23 Vietnam team's loss in the semi-finals, the image of the sea of people painting Nguyen Hue pedestrian street red shows the enduring belief and support of Ho Chi Minh City fans for Vietnamese youth football, even when the result is not as expected.
Nguyen Thai Hoang said he felt a little sad when the Vietnam U23 team lost to China U23. “I had hoped the team would win, but the result wasn't what I expected. Even so, I still believe in and continue to support the Vietnamese team. Go Vietnam!”, Hoang shared.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nguoi-ham-mo-tiec-nuoi-khi-u23-viet-nam-thua-u23-trung-quoc-2483720.html
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