Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn (right) and teammates were outmatched, especially in the second half. Photos courtesy of VFF

Anh Đức

NAGOYA — Both Việt Nam national teams shared the same fate exiting the 2026 Asian Games on Friday, despite having put on their best performances the night.

The result at Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium in Nagoya saw Đinh Hồng Vinh's side bow out at the last eight stage, while South Korea marched on in their bid for a fourth consecutive ASIAD title.

Việt Nam made six changes to the side that lost to Uzbekistan in their final group match, but the reshuffle did not spare them from early pressure. South Korea's advantage in physique and pace allowed them to dominate possession, and in the 15th minute 1.92-metre-tall striker Lee Young-jun climbed above Lý Đức to head home from Lee Hyun-ju's cross.

The four-goal margin reflected South Korea's superior quality and depth, with nine Europe-based players and three over-age men in their squad. Photos courtesy of VFF

Việt Nam thought they had equalised in the 35th minute when Văn Thuận bundled in a rebound after Quang Vinh struck the post, but the effort was ruled out for a tight offside. With no VAR in use, the decision stood.

The game slipped away in the second half. In the 77th minute, a deflected shot fell to centre-back Kim Ji-soo, who tapped into an empty net. Lee Young-jun then curled home a left-footed effort in the 81st minute to complete his brace, before Bae Hyun-seo tapped in the fourth in the 88th.

The four-goal margin reflected South Korea's superior quality and depth, with nine Europe-based players and three over-age men in their squad, against a younger Vietnamese side (average age 21.27).

Việt Nam closed out ASIAD 2026 with one win, one draw and two defeats, meeting their target of reaching the quarter-finals but short of their fourth-place finish in 2018.

The tournament provided valuable experience for a young squad going into 2027.

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Vietnamese players (in white) contest fot the ball during their 0-1 loss to China in the quarter-finals of the 2026 ASIAD at Nagai Stadium on the afternoon of September 25, 2026.

Heading into the tie, the sides had been in contrasting form. Hoàng Văn Phúc's team scraped through as one of the best third-placed sides, while China had thrashed both the Philippines and Hong Kong 5-1. Ranked 16th in the world, 23 places above Việt Nam, China boasted a perfect record against them.

A comfortable Chinese win had been expected, but at Nagai Stadium the nine-time Asian champions managed only to dominate the ball. They held more than 60 per cent possession and had 30 shots to Việt Nam's four, but were wasteful in front of goalkeeper Trần Thị Kim Thanh, who produced a string of outstanding saves. Việt Nam defended with a sound game plan and played with confidence in possession.

For the first time in their history, Việt Nam held China to a 0-0 draw over 90 minutes. The gap in fitness told in extra time, though China were repeatedly denied — Kim Thanh saved Sun Fangxin's header in the 97th minute, and Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhãn cleared off the line four minutes later.

It was not until the 109th minute that China broke through. From a long ball into the box, Shao Ziqin laid it off for Wang Shuang to fire a first-time finish in off the inside of the left post.

It was China's ninth semi-final appearance in 10 ASIAD editions; they will face North Korea on September 29. Việt Nam, meanwhile, closed out the tournament with their best performance under new coach Hoàng Văn Phúc, offering fresh hope in the post-Mai Đức Chung era. VNS