Indonesian media wary of three pillars of U23 Vietnam

(NLDO) - Indonesian media pointed out three faces that the country's national youth team needs to keep a close eye on in order to aim for the U23 Southeast Asian championship.

Ahead of the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian final, the Indonesian press expressed special concern for the three pillars of U23 Vietnam: Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Hieu Minh and Nguyen Dinh Bac.

U23 Vietnam has won the right to enter the final after a convincing victory over U23 Philippines, facing host Indonesia at 8pm tomorrow night, July 29.

Bola newspaper expressed that this is a real challenge when Vietnam has won all the matches from the group stage to the semi-finals and has shown a convincing playing style. They also mentioned Indonesia's defeat to Vietnam on penalties in the final of the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and affirmed that the host team needs to be especially wary of 3 names.

Captain Khuat Van Khang is considered by Bola as the "conductor" of U23 Vietnam thanks to his creative playing style and ability to lead the game. The 22-year-old midfielder quickly made his mark with 1 goal and 1 assist in the match against Laos and won the 2024 AFF Cup with the national team.

Center back Nguyen Hieu Minh is impressing with his solid defense and effectiveness in set pieces, scoring 2 goals since the start of the tournament. Hieu Minh is considered a modern center back, dangerous with his aerial ability.

The remaining name is Nguyen Dinh Bac, a young striker who scored two important goals, including the equalizer against the Philippines that helped Vietnam come from behind to win a ticket to the final. Bola warned the Indonesian defense to pay special attention when Dinh Bac operates on the right wing.

In the upcoming final, by defeating host Indonesia, U23 Vietnam will leave Indonesia and Thailand far behind with 3 championships, while the top opponents have only won the tournament once. In addition, Coach Kim Sang-sik also has the opportunity to make history by helping Vietnamese football win both the national team and U23 level in his first time leading.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/truyen-thong-indonesia-de-chung-ba-tru-cot-u23-viet-nam-196250728114441807.htm