U23 Vietnam has a historic opportunity

This is the third consecutive time that U23 Vietnam has participated in the final match of the U23 Southeast Asian tournament after winning the championship twice in 2022 and 2023. We are facing a historic opportunity to win this tournament for the third time.

President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Quoc Tuan has encouraged and motivated the U23 Vietnam players before the final match.

u23.jpeg -0 — U23 Vietnam receives many expectations. Photo: VFF

Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan emphasized: “We have faced many great challenges but still stood firm. The upcoming final will be a high mountain but not insurmountable.

If we win on your soil, U23 Vietnam will not only prove their mettle but also continue to carve their name into the history of regional football. A miracle - 3 consecutive finals and 3 championships. We are about to enter a huge challenge. Meeting the host team U23 Indonesia in a highly pressurized competition, in the middle of a fire pit with tens of thousands of spectators.

This is a strong team with quality naturalized players and a clear home field advantage. However, I believe that with careful preparation, a disciplined playing spirit and a will to never give up, the young players can completely overcome difficulties and continue their impressive journey."

At the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament, the journey to the final of U23 Vietnam is more favorable than U23 Indonesia. If coach Kim Sang-sik's students won U23 Philippines in 90 minutes, U23 Indonesia had to go through 120 minutes and a penalty shootout against U23 Thailand.

However, the fact that U23 Vietnam missed many opportunities is also an issue that has been analyzed in past matches. Besides, the fact that U23 Vietnam's strikers have not really played impressively also brings certain concerns. Therefore, U23 Vietnam has prepared carefully for the upcoming match.

In a recent training session, striker Dinh Bac said: “This is a very important match. I feel that the whole team is well prepared and in good spirits. We have carefully analyzed the playing style of U23 Indonesia. They are a strong opponent with many quality players. The whole team will play with the utmost determination and passion. “I feel that I am gradually returning to good form. If I get to play, I will give my all for the country.”

Speaking at a press conference before the match, coach Kim Sang-sik said: “With only one final match left, the whole team is ready to contribute, bring joy and beautiful memories to Vietnamese fans. This will be a difficult match, but if we play according to the preparation and plan, I believe we will win.

I think there will not be many changes in the Indonesian squad. Although they have many young players, with a three-day break, they have enough time to recover. We have played one less match, which is only a small advantage. However, in a final match that is always very tense and pressured, the competitive spirit is also decisive. The whole team will try to promote that to overcome the challenge."

Midfielder Viktor Le said: “We have prepared well, taken it step by step and are now ready for the final. The goal is to get a good result to bring the championship trophy back to Vietnam.

I am always confident before every match. I don't put too much emphasis on scoring. The more I think about it, the harder it is to do it. The important thing is to keep a relaxed mind. If the goal comes, I will be very happy. If not, it doesn't matter, whoever scores, as long as the team wins. I hope we can bring the cup home."

The final match between U23 Vietnam and host U23 Indonesia will take place at 8:00 p.m. on July 29 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium - a "fire pot" with a capacity of more than 80,000 seats. A notable new feature of this year's final is that video assistant referee (VAR) technology will be applied to ensure fairness and transparency for the most important match of the tournament. This is also the first time VAR has appeared in a match of the Southeast Asian U23 Championship.

Coach Mai Duc Chung attends the 2026 Women's Asian Cup draw ceremony
On July 27, coach Mai Duc Chung and striker Huynh Nhu were in Australia to attend the draw for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup finals.
Ahead of the draw, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the local organising committee (LOC) have arranged many sideline activities.
Coach Mai Duc Chung and striker Huynh Nhu next to the trophy for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup champion team. Photo: VFF
On the morning of July 28, coach Mai Duc Chung and captain Huynh Nhu represented the Vietnamese women's team at the "Welcome Teams" event and took souvenir photos at Hickson Road Reserve outdoor park, with the presence of New South Wales state leaders and the tournament organizing committee.
In the afternoon of the same day, the team members continued to participate in photo and video shooting activities at the Australian stadium, serving the media and promotion work for the tournament.
The official draw will take place on the evening of July 29. Immediately afterwards, representatives of the Vietnamese women's team and other teams will continue to participate in media activities such as taking group photos and answering quick interviews.
The 2026 Asian Women's Football Championship is scheduled to be held in early March 2026, bringing together 12 teams including host Australia, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Iran, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
This is considered the pinnacle playground, where the Vietnamese women's team aims to win a ticket to the 2027 Women's World Cup finals. (HH)