Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc: 'A Balanced Group for Vietnam U23'

03/10/2025 06:45:00 FieldFrenzy

"It’s not an easy path, but it’s also not too challenging for Vietnam U23 to compete fairly for a quarterfinal spot," Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc assessed the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup group draw.

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc believes this is a well-balanced group for Coach Kim Sang Sik’s team: "More than three months before the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup finals, Vietnam U23 already knew their group rivals. The luck of the draw placed Vietnam U23 in Group A. As the second seed, Vietnam U23 will compete alongside Saudi Arabia U23, Jordan U23, and Kyrgyzstan U23.

This is not exactly an easy group for Vietnam U23, considering host Saudi Arabia U23 are former Asian champions, Jordan U23 come from a football nation that recently secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup, and Kyrgyzstan U23 remain an unknown factor from Central Asia.

However, the first goal of progressing past the group stage and reaching the quarterfinals is within Vietnam U23’s reach if they prepare thoroughly and fix the weaknesses exposed recently, especially in the qualifying matches.

From the draw, we see Vietnam U23 facing opponents of varying strength: stronger teams like Saudi Arabia U23, peers like Jordan U23, and a slightly stronger position over Kyrgyzstan U23. Nevertheless, this is only theoretical; it’s hard to predict anything in football, especially youth football, which is full of surprises.

In summary, Vietnam U23 faces tough but not overwhelming opponents for the goal of advancing. Honestly, with the quality teams at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, it’s difficult to be placed in a group considered easy or comfortable."

According to Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc, the group draw result for Vietnam U23 at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup suits Văn Trường (pictured) and his teammates well. Photo: Hoàng Linh

Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc is confident Vietnam U23 can compete against such opponents at the tournament early next year: "Winning the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship and qualifying for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup is a commendable achievement, but the Vietnam U23 team still has issues to improve to aim for the gold medal at SEA Games 33 and to go as far as possible at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup.

As mentioned, if preparations in the near future are taken seriously, it will help Vietnam U23 reduce weaknesses. Coach Kim Sang Sik has worked hard to find quality players and instill the playing style.

The strengths and weaknesses of Vietnam U23 have been identified in recent competitions. Vietnam U23 is stable defensively and has good attacking strategies. However, we lack a genuine striker to score goals. Many chances are created each match, but the effectiveness is not as expected because Vietnam U23 lacks a reliable goal scorer.

The current Vietnam U23 players might not be as outstanding as the 2018 generation, but considering the circumstances and youth football development, we can be confident about the upcoming SEA Games goal. In other words, Vietnam U23 acts as a 'strategic backup' for the senior national team in the future. Although not exceptionally brilliant, the current Vietnam U23 can still be seen as a 'reserve pool' for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, with the immediate goal of winning gold at SEA Games 33.

The Vietnam U23 team participating in several important tournaments like SEA Games 33, Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup will be very valuable. Playing competitive matches against quality opponents will help the U23 players gain experience and improve their skills. These tournaments offer an ideal platform for young players to prove their capabilities and open doors for them to be part of Vietnam football’s long-term development plan.

We all hope that, driven by their passion, the young players will perform at their best, inspiring fans and those involved in youth football about a bright future."

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