Football 

Vietnamese players practise in Phú Thọ for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Việt Nam will play Bangladesh in first match on September 3 night. Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Riding the wave of national pride from the 80th National Day celebrations, South Korean coach Kim Sang-sik is confident that his team will secure their first win in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on September 3.

Việt Nam is set to face Bangladesh in the opening Group C match tonight at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province, while Singapore will meet Yemen in an earlier fixture at the same venue.

Speaking ahead of the group’s press briefing, Kim extended his congratulations to the Vietnamese people for their remarkable progress over the past eight decades and expressed pride in his players’ determination.

"I believe that all Vietnamese people are proud with what they have done in the past 80 years to reconstruct and develop the country," Kim said.

"My players definitely share the feeling and it pushes their confidence and determination for winning every single match here and earning highest result in the qualifiers."

Kim revealed that while his team has thoroughly studied all opponents, limited information is available on Singapore and Bangladesh, with Yemen expected to be the toughest challenge.

"We will approach each match with high focus, considering all games are of equal importance and aiming for victory in every one," he added.

Regarding his squad, Kim confirmed the players are in good physical shape and high spirits, with no serious injuries apart from captain Khuất Văn Khang, who is recovering from a muscle strain.

He explained the decision to exclude midfielder Trần Thành Trung from the official list, citing the groin injury that hindered his performance despite Trung’s technical skill and determination. Kim hopes to welcome him back soon.

Kim also expressed optimism that the team will enjoy strong support from local fans, who have always played a vital role in Việt Nam’s successes.

Coach Kim Sang-sik of Việt Nam (second, left) in the press briefing.

In addition to local support, Việt Nam are favourites to win as the hosts rank 71 places higher than No. 184 Bangladesh in the world rankings.

"This year's tournament is a great opportunity for us to select quality players for the senior team," said Bangladesh assistant coach Hassan Al Mamun.

"In this group, Việt Nam are very strong. They have just won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship in Indonesia. Meanwhile, our other opponents are at the same level, so the opportunity to progress will be given to the team that plays better.

"Prior to this qualifier, Bangladesh took part in an intensive training programme with two friendly matches and achieved positive results.

"Coming to Việt Nam, except for (Cuba) Mitchell who is highly rated, we still have other outstanding players and I hope this generation will be able to help Bangladeshi football progress in the future."

Mitchell is a midfielder of British, Jamaican and Bangladeshi descent. He has played for the youth teams of Birmingham City and Sunderland in England.

Singapore coach Firdaus Kassim showed great respect for the hosts as well as coach Kim, saying Việt Nam were a top team not only in Southeast Asia but also in Asia, with quality players capable of competing at a high level.

"Coach Kim has performed very well and achieved many successes. He has brought his own style of play to Việt Nam," said Kassim. "Singapore will have to pay close attention to Việt Nam and learn from them to become more mature. We practised hard and have a plan for every match, aiming to beat all rivals.

"Singapore have come here with high determination and spirit, ready for every challenge. We will try to achieve the best result. My players are very young but have potential and can handle pressure well. Through this tournament, we will evaluate and select the best players for the SEA Games tournament at the end of the year in Thailand."

Yemen coach Al Suneini appreciated Việt Nam’s warm welcome and said he had brought a squad of both young talents and experienced players who were eager to contribute to the team. They would form the core of the next generation of Yemeni football.

"In this group, matches will not be easy because each opponent will present difficulties to their rivals," said Suneini. "However, we will compete with all our abilities to achieve the best results. Our goal is to play well in each specific match to aim for the Finals." VNS