Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnamese U23 team possess a strong defence. — Photo baolamdong.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Ahead of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Asian Cup Finals, the confederation has ranked Việt Nam's U23s among the tournament's best defences, owing to their perfect record in the qualifying round.

The AFC recently published an in-depth analysis of potential contenders for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup Finals. Notably, Việt Nam secured a prominent position on the list of teams with 'iron' defences, alongside powerhouses South Korea and Australia.

According to the AFC's assessment, the strength of Việt Nam's defence is their greatest asset under coach Kim Sang-sik. During the qualifying campaign, the Golden Star Warriors were one of three teams to maintain a clean sheet throughout their journey to the finals.

Vietnamese players successfully neutralised attackers from Bangladesh (winning 2-0), Singapore (winning 1-0) and Yemen (winning 1-0). Keeping a 100 per cent clean sheet reflects the discipline and organisation instilled in the team by the coaching staff.

In addition to their solid defence, Việt Nam emerged as one of seven teams with a perfect record in the group stage. This accomplishment places them among top football nations like Japan, Iran, South Korea, Qatar, Jordan and Syria.

However, the AFC candidly pointed out a weakness needing improvement: Việt Nam's ability to convert opportunities into goals. With only four goals in three matches, coach Kim's team have the least productive attack among the top 11 teams in the qualifying group.

In contrast, Australia, with a formidable attack scoring 20 goals, underscores the significant gap. This presents a challenge that the Vietnamese coaching staff must address to advance in the upcoming finals.

Historically, Southeast Asia has seen major upsets, such as Việt Nam's runner-up finish in 2018 and Indonesia’s semi-final appearance in 2024. In the 2026 tournament, with South Asia lacking a representative, all eyes are now on Việt Nam and Thailand.

Fans are eager to see if the resilience of Việt Nam's unbeaten defence can help the U23 team challenge the dominance of West Asian and East Asian powerhouses, continuing to write an inspiring chapter for regional football.

In the 2026 AFC Asian Cup Finals, Việt Nam will compete in Group A alongside host nation Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan. Việt Nam are set to face Jordan on January 6, followed by Kyrgyzstan on January 9 and concluding with the host nation Saudi Arabia on January 12.

This marks the Vietnamese team's sixth consecutive appearance in the finals of the continental tournament, the longest finals participation streak ever for Việt Nam. — VNS