CONTINENTAL PRESS IN TURMOIL
The historic achievement of the Vietnam U23 team not only thrilled domestic fans but also created a strong media effect in Southeast Asia and, more broadly, Asia. The victories against U23 Jordan, U23 Kyrgyzstan, and especially the host team, U23 Saudi Arabia, were described with strong adjectives such as shocking, miraculous, and magical… This amazing result, of course, caused a stir in the South Korean press, the homeland of coach Kim Sang-sik. He appeared prominently in news sites and forums, with the main news focus being his significant contribution to helping the Vietnam U23 team achieve a perfect record in the group stage and reach the quarterfinals of the AFC U23 Championship, earning a perfect score. The Korea Daily newspaper used the contrast in physique (Vietnam U23 is 177.39 cm tall – ranking second from the bottom in height) to celebrate the achievement of defeating the West Asian "giants," both literally and figuratively. Sports World analyzed that the foundation for Vietnam U23's success was their disciplined playing style, good organization, and persistent fighting spirit. Vietnam U23 conceded only one goal in the group stage, demonstrating clear stability in both technical skill and mentality against opponents who tended to play an aggressive, attacking style.
Asian media hail "Kim Sang-sik's miracle"
PHOTO: TED TRAN
Three convincing victories not only helped the Vietnam U23 team continue to be the leading force in regional youth football, but also earned them immense respect from the Thai press. Khod Sanam commented: "The Vietnam U23 team advanced to the quarterfinals with an unbeatable record, winning all three matches perfectly. They didn't need to show off but still convincingly topped the group." The Buriram Prankster v2 fanpage (with 200,000 followers) emphasized: "The Vietnam U23 team shocked Asia, continuing to demonstrate their dominance in Group A by defeating host Saudi Arabia U23 1-0 in the final match, thereby securing 9 points after 3 matches and advancing to the quarterfinals as group winners." Thai fans acknowledged: "The Vietnam U23 team has proven itself worthy of being the strongest youth team in Southeast Asia at the moment." "The achievements of the Vietnam U23 team have now far surpassed those of Thailand, having won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, the SEA Games 33 gold medal, and topping their group at the AFC U23 Championship. These achievements are certainly not due to luck. They are the result of thorough preparation and a solid foundation."
Dinh Bac was humble after scoring against Saudi Arabia: 'This is the result of the whole team's effort'
The miracle of Kim Sang-Sik
Sports World praised: "The Vietnamese U23 players fought with courageous spirit to win like a miracle. Coach Kim Sang-sik is truly a brilliant and experienced coach. He skillfully uses personnel, adjusts tactics brilliantly, and makes skillful substitutions." The phrase "Kim Sang-sik's miracle" was also one of the most frequently mentioned topics in Asian media.
South Korean media were particularly impressed with how coach Kim fielded a starting lineup with many changes, calmly countered, and defeated the giants Saudi Arabia. "Against a strong opponent, the coach born in 1976 showed courage, determination, belief, and shrewd strategy that can create miracles. Coach Kim Sang-sik proved his coaching class by bringing on the attacking duo of Nguyen Le Phat and Nguyen Dinh Bac at the beginning of the second half. This change turned the tide of the match. After helping Vietnam dominate Southeast Asian football, it seems that coach Kim Sang-sik has taken a huge step towards becoming a new legend of the perfect combination of Korean coaches and Vietnamese football."
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-tro-thanh-hien-tuong-truyen-thong-chau-luc-185260113222441558.htm
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