Identifying the strengths and capabilities of Vietnam's U23 team against the UAE U23 team.

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - Vietnam U23 will face UAE U23 in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship at 10:30 PM on January 16th. The West Asian football representative is highly regarded for its fast-paced and physically demanding playing style.

UAE U23 drew 1-1 with Syria U23.

Following the final matches of Group B, the opponent for Coach Kim Sang Sik's team has been officially revealed. U23 UAE, with a 1-1 draw against U23 Syria, secured second place in the group, earning a spot in the quarter-finals where they will face U23 Vietnam directly.

Striker Junior Ndiaye was once a promising young talent in French football before choosing to become a UAE citizen (Photo: AFC).

At this year's tournament, the UAE U23 team boasts a quality squad with players who are tall and fast. Most notably is the 1.80m tall striker, Junior Ndiaye (born in 2005).

This 21-year-old striker is not just an ordinary West Asian player; he received professional training in France, has played for the French U17 team, and is currently on the books of Montpellier in Ligue 2. Ndiaye possesses exceptional dribbling, ball-shielding, and acceleration abilities.

The 21-year-old UAE player's agility, speed, and ability to press into the penalty area were demonstrated by his goal against Qatar U23.

However, behind the powerful attack of the UAE U23 team lies a disjointed defense. The 0-3 defeat against Japan U23 is the clearest evidence of this.

When facing a well-organized opponent who knows how to control the pace of the game and maintain constant pressure, the UAE's defense is easily breached. In their last 10 matches across all competitions, the UAE U23 team has won 4, drawn 2, and lost 4, scoring 18 goals and conceding 11.

Dinh Bac is expected to shine and help Vietnam U23 reach the semi-finals (Photo: AFC).

These statistics show that the UAE U23 team has a good scoring ability, but their defense is also not good. In this year's tournament, the UAE U23 team has conceded 4 goals in 3 group stage matches.

Another noteworthy detail is that the UAE U23 team has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in their history of participating in the AFC U23 Asian Championship. This shows that the West Asian team can perform well against weaker opponents, but often falters when entering crucial "do-or-die" matches.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam U23 team is in a completely different frame of mind. Defeating the strongest team in West Asia, Saudi Arabia U23, has helped the "Golden Star Warriors" overcome all psychological barriers.

With their impressive form after three consecutive wins in the group stage, the Vietnam U23 team has every reason to be confident of victory against the UAE U23 team. The disciplined playing style and sharp ability to escape pressing that coach Kim Sang Sik is building can be fully exploited in the gaps where the UAE defense often leaves itself exposed when pushing forward to attack.

Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, and free Viettel 4G/5G data.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhan-dien-suc-manh-thuc-luc-doi-thu-u23-uae-cua-u23-viet-nam-20260114095526843.htm