Chinese media warns their team of three worrying factors when facing Vietnam U23.

While highly praising the strength of the Vietnamese U23 team, Sohu newspaper has just pointed out three major disadvantages that the Chinese U23 team is facing ahead of the semi-final match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.

The joy of the Chinese U23 players after reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship - Photo: AFC

Vietnam U23 is the only team at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship with a perfect winning record. Ahead of their semi-final clash, Chinese media are showing extreme caution.

Sohu recently published a detailed analysis, warning the Chinese U23 team not to celebrate their victory too soon , as they face three "fatal flaws" that could lead to their defeat against the Southeast Asian representative.

The first factor that the Chinese newspaper is concerned about is the physical fitness level. The Vietnamese U23 team settled their quarter-final match earlier and had an extra day of rest.

In contrast, the Chinese U23 team just endured a grueling 120-minute physical ordeal against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals. They only secured their place in the next round after a tense penalty shootout.

The severe exhaustion of the Chinese players raises serious questions about their ability to recover when facing a fit and energetic U23 Vietnam team.

Secondly, the most worrying thing for Chinese fans right now is the health of goalkeeper Li Hao. Sohu revealed that Li Hao showed signs of injury during the match against Uzbekistan and the medical team had to constantly come onto the field to treat him.

Goalkeeper Li Hao was the hero who helped the Chinese U23 team create a miracle - Photo: AFC

The newspaper commented: "Comparing Li Hao to 50% of the Chinese U23 team's strength is not an exaggeration. In the four matches played so far, he has denied 4.67 expected goals."

The possibility of Li Hao being absent or playing below his best form is seen as a disaster for the Chinese defense against the Vietnamese strikers.

The final worrying point highlighted by the foreign media is the disparity in form and playing style effectiveness.

Vietnam U23 is the only team to maintain a perfect winning record in the tournament so far, with a convincing and diverse attacking style of play.

Meanwhile, the Chinese U23 team has displayed a poor performance in attack. After four matches, they have only scored a meager one goal – an alarming figure for a team that reached the semi-finals.

Sohu newspaper bluntly warned: "The Vietnam U23 team is in extremely high form and has a tremendous level of enthusiasm. Meanwhile, we only know how to defend and rely on luck."

The semi-final match between Vietnam U23 and China U23 will take place at 10:30 PM on January 20th. The winning team will face either South Korea U23 or Japan U23 in the final.

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THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/truyen-thong-trung-quoc-canh-bao-doi-nha-3-dieu-dang-ngai-khi-gap-u23-viet-nam-20260118153111279.htm