Tens of thousands of fans endured cold weather to greet Việt Nam’s U23 squad on Sunday as they returned home to celebrate winning a silver medal at the Asian Championship, which closed in China on Saturday.

Việt Nam claimed the silver medal of the Asian Football Confederation U23 Championship after losing 2-1 to Uzbekistan in the last minute of extra time in the final on Saturday in China.

Midfilder Quang Hải hit a spectacular free kick to score an equaliser for U23 Việt Nam. The score of the 2018 final U23 Việt Nam versus U23 Uzbekistan is 1-1. — VNS

Downtown HCM City had an excited air today as thousands of fans waited anxiously for the final game between Việt Nam and Uzbekistan in the Asia Football Conference (AFC) U23 Championship, to be played in China today at 3pm (Hà Nội Time).

The semi-final versus Qatar was memories that will not soon be forgotten. Việt Nam played a gruesome 120-minute battle, coming from behind twice to lead the game to a penalty conclusion. It was goal keeper Bùi Tiến Dũng's night as he successfully deflected two penalties before his teammate Thanh hit home for a ticket to the final. Players broke into tears as well as the five-hundred-odd fans that braced the cold in the stadium to cheer for the team.

Across Viet Nam, people are giddy with excitement to watch the final between Việt Nam U23 and Uzbekistan at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship in China on January 27, and preparations for match day are well under way.

Việt Nam President Trần Đại Quang yesterday decided to present a first-class Labour Order to the U23 side for their outstanding performance at the ongoing Asian championship in China.

Either Việt Nam or Uzbekistan will become the new U23 football champion on Saturday, after their final match at the Changshu Olympic Sport Centre in China.

Thousands of Vietnamese supporters have landed in Changshu, China, to support the Vietnamese U23 team who will face Uzbekistan in the Asian championship final on Saturday.