Vietnam U23 vs UAE U23: Coach Kim Sang Sik's hidden weapon

Vietnam U23 convincingly secured a place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, but to overcome the challenge ahead against UAE U23, coach Kim Sang Sik needs more than one option in attack.

Concerns for Vietnam U23 team

The Vietnamese U23 attack is showing a change, with cleaner and more effective finishing compared to previous tournaments. The victory against Saudi Arabia U23 is a prime example, where coach Kim Sang Sik's players only had 3 shots, 2 of which were on target and resulted in 1 goal.

However, behind that effectiveness lies an undeniable truth: the Vietnamese U23 team's attack is heavily reliant on Dinh Bac. Everyone can see that when the player from Nghe An is absent, the attacking options requested by coach Kim Sang Sik are less effective and lack the same unpredictability compared to when Dinh Bac is present.

The North Pavilion needs to share the fire.

This is the biggest concern for fans of coach Kim Sang Sik's team, because although it won't be easy to neutralize Dinh Bac, the UAE will likely have a plan to limit the activities of the most dangerous player on the Vietnamese U23 team in the quarterfinals.

Coach Kim Sang Sik certainly understands this and will adapt by finding someone to share the workload with Dinh Bac in order to help the Vietnam U23 team win "comfortably" and early instead of going into extra time.

Vietnam U23's secret weapon

Perhaps the answer lies in the hands of coach Kim Sang Sik, in the name of Thanh Nhàn. Calling it a "secret" wouldn't be an exaggeration, because at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship, the player from Tay Ninh only played for a mere 6 minutes in the victory against Saudi Arabia.

Thanh Nhàn's return from injury brings high expectations to the Vietnam U23 attack, as she possesses speed, intelligent off-ball movement, and especially a keen sense of finishing.

And Thanh Nhàn is a worthy choice.

More importantly, Thanh Nhàn not only waited for opportunities, but also knew how to create opportunities for herself and her teammates, bringing great hope to the Vietnam U23 team in their journey ahead at the U23 Asian Championship.

With another player to share the workload, Dinh Bac will have less pressure, and the Vietnam U23 team will have more options to approach the opponent's goal, potentially settling the match within 90 minutes.

The remaining issue lies in Thanh Nhàn's physical condition, after suffering an injury just before the tournament and only returning shortly before the quarter-finals.

The Vietnam U23 team has progressed through the group stage with solidity and efficiency. But to go further, they will need more than one star. And who knows, perhaps Coach Kim Sang Sik's "secret weapon" is the key to helping the Vietnam U23 team unlock the door to a deeper run in this year's tournament.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u23-viet-nam-dau-u23-uae-quan-bai-bi-mat-cua-hlv-kim-sang-sik-2481854.html