Regional media: 'Vietnam U23's dramatic victory over South Korea was like something out of a movie, Dinh Bac was extraordinary'

The 7-6 penalty shootout victory against South Korea U23 on the morning of January 24th not only secured third place for Vietnam U23 overall, but also generated a strong wave of admiration from Southeast Asian media, showcasing the image of a tenacious and resilient team.

Vietnam U23 is the pride of Southeast Asia.

According to Southeast Asian media assessments , the victory in the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship third-place match against South Korea clearly demonstrated the image of the Vietnamese U-23 team: playing with composure, tight organization, and not flinching under pressure from a strong opponent.

The Thai newspaper Siamsport described the match as follows: “The game was an incredible display of fighting spirit. The fact that the Vietnam U23 team, down to 10 men in the final minutes, still conceded an equalizer in the 90+7th minute but didn't lose focus, is the clearest example of the resilience of Coach Kim Sang-sik's team. The Vietnam U23 team fought all the way to the penalty shootout and won 7-6. They deserved their third-place finish in Asia.”

The match unfolded as a dramatic film, as recounted by regional media. “Nguyen Quoc Viet opened the scoring in the 30th minute after a well-coordinated attack by Vietnam U23. Kim Tae-won equalized for South Korea in the 69th minute, but just two minutes later, Nguyen Dinh Bac executed a superb free-kick, sending the ball straight into the net, restoring Vietnam U23's 2-1 lead. Despite Dinh Bac being sent off with a red card in the 86th minute and South Korea U23 equalizing in the 90+7th minute, Vietnam U23 maintained control of the game in extra time before proving more accurate in the penalty shootout,” commented CNN Indonesia.

Vietnam U23 secured an emotional victory against South Korea U23.

PHOTO: AFC

Jay Worapath (Thailand) wrote emotionally: “Ten Vietnamese U23 players held South Korean U23 to a draw until the match went to a penalty shootout. Vietnam U23 did not disappoint Southeast Asian fans. This result far exceeded expectations and is something to be proud of for Southeast Asian football, as a representative from the region was able to compete on equal footing with South Korea until the very last seconds. ”

Meanwhile, Goal Thailand placed the Vietnamese U23 team's achievement within the context of regional history. The newspaper emphasized: “Only two Southeast Asian nations have ever reached the top 4 of the U23 Asian Championship: Vietnam U23 (2018 – runner-up), Indonesia U23 (2024 – 4th place), and Indonesia U23 (2026 – 3rd place). Notably, all three milestones are associated with South Korean coaches, and Coach Kim Sang-sik is continuing to maintain the stable position of Vietnamese youth football on the continental map.”

Besides praising the team as a whole, some Southeast Asian sports websites paid special attention to Dinh Bac, who is considered a standout figure in Vietnam's 2026 U.23 Asian Championship campaign. Baball Buriram (Thailand) frankly stated: "Honestly, the number 7 of the Vietnam U.23 team is truly talented. If you've seen Dinh Bac's performance, you'll see he's an extraordinary player."

Baball Buriram emphasized that Dinh Bac not only scored a beautiful free-kick goal against South Korea's U23 team, but also played a leading role in the team's play and made a difference at crucial moments. According to Baball Buriram , Dinh Bac's consistent performance against strong teams is something not every young player can achieve. The website suggests that Dinh Bac's maturity in play reflects a well-prepared physical and mental foundation.

"If Dinh Bac maintains a very high level of discipline, from training and nutrition to his daily life, he could become a great player in the future," Baball Buriram emphasized.

Dinh Bac (right) continues to deliver outstanding performances.

PHOTO: TED TRAN

Indonesian website Galeri Timnas also called Vietnam U23's victory "dramatic and emotional." Galeri Timnas commented: "Vietnam U23 seemed to have victory in their grasp when they led 2-1 until the final minute of injury time. Even after being pegged back to 2-2, they remained calm and showed their mettle in the penalty shootout."

Thairath and Thailive websites share the same description of Vietnam U23's victory: "Narrow but completely deserved." According to Thairath , defeating South Korea U23 – one of Asia's most historically successful teams – in a match that lasted 120 minutes followed by a tense penalty shootout shows that Vietnam U23 has reached a different level in Southeast Asia.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/truyen-thong-khu-vuc-u23-viet-nam-thang-han-quoc-kich-tinh-nhu-phim-dinh-bac-phi-thuong-185260124020213438.htm