Lê Văn Thuận scores the only goal for the Vietnamese U23 team in their second match of Group C in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers on Saturday. — Photo znews.vn

PHÚ THỌ — U23 Việt Nam edged out U23 Singapore 1-0 on Saturday night but were left ruing missed chances in a match where they dominated possession but barely broke through. The win keeps Việt Nam’s hopes alive in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, yet coach Kim Sang-sik was far from satisfied.

“There weren’t many goals in the match. There were a lot of spectators at Việt Trì Stadium, and I’m very happy about that. Everyone could see that we had many opportunities, but their goalkeeper played very well. We will work to improve our finishing skills,” Kim said after the Group C encounter at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ Province.

Facing the youngest side in the group, U23 Singapore, Việt Nam controlled much of the play but only found the net in the 79th minute with a strike from Lê Văn Thuận.

Despite creating multiple scoring opportunities, Kim’s players failed to convert them, with final shots flying wide or being denied by the crossbar or post. The South Korean coach said improvement is needed as they look ahead to a decisive clash with U23 Yemen.

"We will analyse carefully and prepare for the match with Yemen. With the current quality of our team, I am confident that we can win. Yemen's defense is very strong, but Việt Nam have fast players who can exploit the space behind their defense," he said.

At the post-match press conference, Nguyễn Văn Trường, named man of the match, reflected on the five missed chances.

"In football, being unlucky is normal. We had many opportunities but didn’t convert them into goals," he said. "In the final match, everyone will continue to strive for victory, and I hope more people will come to cheer us on."

Việt Nam will face Yemen in their final group match on Tuesday, with the sole qualifying spot for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals on the line. — VNS