Comments on U23 Vietnam - U23 Yemen (7pm today): The final challenge

(Dan Tri) - In theory, U23 Vietnam only needs to draw with U23 Yemen to qualify for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals. However, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team will face risks if they enter the field with a draw mentality.

*The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Yemen in Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers will take place at 7 p.m. tonight (September 9), at Viet Tri Stadium ( Phu Tho ). Dan Tri will report this match live.

Before this match, U23 Vietnam and U23 Yemen had the same 6 points after two matches. U23 Vietnam temporarily ranked first in the group, while U23 Yemen ranked second in group C, because coach Kim Sang Sik's team had a better secondary index than their opponent.

U23 Vietnam is in very good spirits (Photo: Do ​​Minh Quan).

In theory, U23 Vietnam only needs to draw with U23 Yemen tonight, we will definitely top the table, thereby winning a first-class ticket to Saudi Arabia to attend the final round of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

However, in football, if you go out on the field with a draw mentality, you are likely to lose. If you have a draw mentality, players will easily lose direction, not dare to attack with the ball, and lack the determination to score against the opponent.

Therefore, U23 Vietnam still has to win in the final qualifying match against U23 Yemen. In terms of technical ability, coach Kim Sang Sik's team is completely capable of defeating U23 Yemen.

The current U23 Vietnam squad is very technical. We are the team with the best ball control in Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers. The attacking directions of the team under coach Kim Sang Sik are also quite diverse, from group coordination, widening the field, to exploiting set pieces.

The physical condition of the U23 Vietnam players is not inferior to that of their opponents in Group C (Photo: Do ​​Minh Quan).

We can both attack decisively on the ground and be good in aerial battles. In addition, the U23 Vietnam players are playing very confidently at the moment, after winning the U23 Southeast Asian Championship more than a month ago and after two consecutive wins in the ongoing U23 Asian qualifiers.

One issue that we have long been concerned about is the better physical condition of West Asian players compared to Vietnamese players. However, in this tournament, the physical gap between Yemeni players and Vietnamese players is not large.

The Vietnam U23 team currently does not lack players with good physique, such as goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien (1m91), central defender Nguyen Hieu Minh (1m84), Pham Ly Duc (1m82), midfielder Nguyen Van Truong (1m82), Nguyen Cong Phuong (1m78), Le Viktor (1m78), striker Nguyen Dinh Bac (1m80)...

With this squad, U23 Vietnam is not afraid of one-on-one battles and aerial battles with U23 Yemen. Thanks to that, U23 Vietnam has more confidence to choose their forte, controlling the ball and attacking against the young team from West Asia.

Expected lineup:

U23 Vietnam: Trung Kien, Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Anh Quan, Phi Hoang, Cong Phuong, Xuan Bac, Thanh Nhan, Ngoc My, Dinh Bac.

U23 Yemen: Osamah, Faisal Maroof, Al-Turaiqi, Al-Gudaimah, Khaled Moqbel, Awadh Masnom, Al-Sharafi, Ban Agag, Radhi, Al-Dugin, Saleh Al-Batol.

Prediction: U23 Vietnam wins 1-0.

Ranking of Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers (Photo: AFC).

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhan-dinh-u23-viet-nam-u23-yemen-19h-hom-nay-thu-thach-cuoi-cung-20250908153622752.htm