Vietnam U23 team is 'warmed up': Burning with the spirit of a SEA Games champion.

Without even needing to exert their full strength, the Vietnam U23 team easily defeated Malaysia U23 to advance to the semi-finals of the SEA Games 33.

Vietnam U23 is still 'strolling' around Rajamangala.

The winning streak of the Vietnam U23 team under coach Kim Sang-sik in official tournaments has reached 9 matches, following their 2-0 victory over Malaysia U23 in the final match of Group B at the SEA Games 33.

Despite facing immense psychological pressure to avoid defeat and being surrounded by doubts following their unconvincing opening match victory against Laos U23, Vietnam U23 successfully overcame Malaysia U23.

Coach Kim's team only needed to accelerate in the first half to defeat their opponent. Dinh Bac delivered an accurate cross from the left wing for Hieu Minh to head in the opening goal in the 11th minute, and then the striker born in 2004 provided another beautiful assist from the left wing for Minh Phuc to double the lead with a rebound in the 22nd minute.

Vietnam U23 team advances to the semi-finals despite not having unleashed their full potential.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

For the remainder of the match, Vietnam U23 completely controlled the game. Whether increasing the pace of attack, pressing high to disrupt Malaysia's play, or passing the ball in midfield to maintain a moderate tempo, Kim's players gave Malaysia U23 no chance to retaliate. The scientific and tight coordination between the lines helped Vietnam U23 build a wall of superior quality, which, despite their efforts in the second half, the young Malaysian players could not overcome.

This was a stark contrast to the struggling opening match against Laos U23, and also a testament to the versatile team under coach Kim Sang-sik: for Vietnam U23, each match is a different picture, with varying playing styles, making it difficult for opponents to predict their tactics.

Vietnam U23 comfortably advanced through the group stage, even without unleashing their full potential. In yesterday's match (December 11th), Dinh Bac and his teammates focused on a few wing attacks in the first half and transitioned to long passes in the second half, which was enough to defeat Malaysia U23.

Similarly, in the match against Laos U23, despite a hard-fought victory, Vietnam U23 didn't show much beyond their signature wing-attacking tactics.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's selection of players also reflects his strategy of keeping his cards close to his chest for the next round. Strategic players like Thanh Nhàn, Quốc Việt, and Xuân Bắc were rested, while Ngọc Mỹ, Công Phương, and Văn Thuận only played for a few minutes at the end.

These players scored the decisive goals that helped Vietnam U23 successfully climb the ranks at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship and the 2026 Asian U23 Championship qualifiers, but they were not used regularly at the 33rd SEA Games.

There are still many hidden aspects to the Vietnam U.23 team.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

With flexible personnel changes, it's safe to assume that each player has been given their own "stage" to prove their worth in upcoming matches.

The physical fitness problem

While the Vietnam U23 team only had 3 days of rest to prepare for the semi-final (3:30 PM on December 15th), the Philippines U23 team had a full week of rest.

Good physical condition allows the young Vietnamese players to recover quickly and be ready for new challenges. However, against the Philippines, with 13 players currently playing in the US and Europe, the Vietnam U23 team needs to prepare thoroughly to face a grueling physical battle.

In the semi-finals of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship, Vietnam U.23 conceded the first goal to the Philippines U.23 after a physically strong opening attack. The Philippines U.23 is also the only team to have ever opened the scoring against Coach Kim Sang-sik's team.

Compared to five months ago, the Philippines U23 team is now even stronger and more unpredictable. The number of Filipino players of overseas origin has increased from 7 to 13. Coach Garrath McPherson has made excellent use of the physicality and stamina of the Filipino players to build a pragmatic and modern European-style game. The Philippines U23 team moves the ball quickly and efficiently, defends solidly, and is ready to draw opponents into fierce one-on-one battles.

Compared to the U23 Malaysia team, which has a weak defense and a penchant for attacking, the U23 Philippines team is a formidable wall that is difficult to penetrate.

In the group stage, McPherson's team won all their matches and kept clean sheets against U.23 Myanmar and U.23 Indonesia, both employing a formula of quick attacks to gain an advantage, then stifling the game with strength and tactical precision.

In their first appearance in the SEA Games semi-finals, the Philippines U23 team is eager to spring another surprise. The coaching staff of "The Azkals" were present to watch and analyze the Vietnam U23 team's match last night (December 11).

The U23 Philippines team is unexpectedly kindling a fire within their ranks. U23 Vietnam will face a challenging "breaking down the concrete wall" problem, and Đình Bắc and his teammates will need perseverance and resilience to overcome it.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-da-nong-may-ruc-lua-khi-the-vo-dich-sea-games-185251212104810932.htm