Trung Kien is causing a sensation.

Goalkeeper Trung Kien's solid performance played a major role in helping Vietnam U23 secure a 1-0 victory against Saudi Arabia U23 in the early hours of January 13th.

Trung Kien shone against U23 Saudi Arabia.

Against a highly-rated opponent with home advantage and a strong desire to win like U23 Saudi Arabia, U23 Vietnam opted for a solid defensive approach in their own half, patiently waiting for opportunities to counter-attack. In that game, Trung Kien had an outstanding performance, consistently neutralizing dangerous situations from the opponent.

According to FotMob statistics, Trung Kien made 7 saves in this match, significantly more than goalkeeper Hamed Al Shanqiti of U23 Saudi Arabia (only 1). In particular, towards the end of the first half, the U23 Vietnam goalkeeper shone with a series of impressive saves, including a crucial save after a dangerous header from the opponent hit the post.

Trung Kien (in yellow shirt) made several crucial saves. Photo: AFC

Throughout the match, U23 Saudi Arabia unleashed 26 shots, 7 of which were on target, but all were denied by Trung Kien. His solid performance in goal was the cornerstone that helped U23 Vietnam secure the crucial victory, thus earning them a place in the quarterfinals as the top team in Group A.

On social media, Trung Kien's performance received much praise from fans. One account commented: "This is Trung Kien's best performance at this year's tournament." Another fan shared: "I see the resemblance of Bui Tien Dung in Trung Kien at previous U23 Asian Championships."

In the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, Vietnam U23's opponent will be either UAE U23 or Syria U23.

All the goals from the Vietnam U23 vs. Kyrgyzstan U23 match: On the night of January 9th, a thrilling 2-1 victory against Kyrgyzstan U23 gave Vietnam U23 a perfect 6 points, opening the door to the quarterfinals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.

Source: https://znews.vn/trung-kien-gay-sot-post1619193.html