Vietnam U23 defeated South Korea U23 on penalties to win the bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.

After drawing 2-2 with South Korea U23 after 120 minutes, Vietnam U23 brilliantly won 7-6 on penalties, thereby securing the bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

Compared to the semi-final loss to China U23 (0-3), coach Kim Sang-sik made several adjustments to the starting lineup, retaining only two names: center-back Nhat Minh and central midfielder Thai Son.

Due to Hieu Minh's serious injury and Ly Duc's suspension, the starting trio of central defenders against South Korea U23 were Duc Anh, Nhat Minh, and Le Van Ha. In goal, Cao Van Binh was given the opportunity to start in place of Trung Kien.

In attack, Đình Bắc, despite not being in his best physical condition, still leads the role of center forward, with Quốc Việt and Lê Văn Thuận supporting on the wings. In midfield, Phi Hoàng, Anh Quân, and Quốc Cường partner with Thái Sơn, while captain Khuất Văn Khang is on the bench for the first time in the tournament.

Vietnam U23 team performed excellently against South Korea (Photo: AFC)

South Korea U23 started proactively and controlled the game in the opening minutes. With their superior strength, South Korea U23 continuously pushed forward, putting pressure on Vietnam U23's goal. However, Vietnam was the first to score. In the 30th minute, from a quick counter-attack on the left wing, Dinh Bac sprinted forward and crossed the ball for Quoc Viet to control with one touch before shooting into the top corner of the net, opening the scoring for Vietnam U23.

In the second half, the South Korean U23 team intensified their pressure after a series of personnel changes. The East Asian team continuously pressed and created many dangerous set-piece situations. In the 68th minute, from a move on the edge of the penalty area, Kim Tae-won finished accurately to equalize 1-1. But just three minutes later, Dinh Bac scored at the right moment with a low, dangerous free-kick from over 20 meters, the ball bouncing off the ground into the far corner, raising the score to 2-1 for Vietnam U23. This was also the fourth goal for the striker wearing number 7 in the final tournament.

The players fought hard to maintain the score (Photo: AFC)

The final minutes of the match were incredibly tense. In the 86th minute, Dinh Bac was sent off with a red card for a reckless tackle on an opposing player, leaving Vietnam U23 with ten men. In the final minute of added time, amidst a scramble in the penalty area, Minha capitalized on the opportunity to score the equalizer, making it 2-2 and forcing the match into extra time.

During extra time, the South Korean U23 team continued to put pressure on Vietnam with numerous crosses and shots, but goalkeeper Cao Van Binh played brilliantly, helping the Vietnamese U23 team hold firm to take the match to a penalty shootout.

In the penalty shootout, the two teams engaged in a tense and prolonged shootout. After the first rounds were successful, the turning point came when Van Binh saved Jang Seokhwan's shot, creating an opportunity for Thanh Nhan to take the decisive penalty, securing a 7-6 victory for Vietnam U23.

Immediately after the third-place match between Vietnam U23 and South Korea U23, on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), President Tran Quoc Tuan personally congratulated the Vietnam U23 team on their outstanding achievement of winning the bronze medal at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

Vietnam Football Federation President Tran Quoc Tuan highly praised the spirit, effort, and achievements of the players, and announced the decision to award them a bonus of 2 billion VND to encourage this achievement.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thang-u23-han-quoc-บน-cham-luan-luu-u23-viet-nam-gianh-hcd-tai-vck-u23-chau-a-2026-20260124070807748.htm