U23 Vietnam - U23 UAE: Emphasizing Technical Play

Statistics show that the style Coach Kim Sang-sik has developed for U23 Vietnam is highly pragmatic and composed. Although U23 Vietnam ranks among the lowest in shot attempts, each offensive move is highly effective.

U23 Vietnam’s goal conversion rate is among the top in the tournament. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s players rank second with a 46.4% shot accuracy rate.

Besides an efficient attack, U23 Vietnam’s defense has also performed excellently, conceding only one goal in three matches.

With a solid defensive approach and effective counterattacks, U23 Vietnam is ready to take on U23 UAE in the quarterfinals.

U23 UAE, the quarterfinal opponent, is known for their physical strength. Facing a U23 Vietnam side considered weaker in power and stamina, U23 UAE will surely try to force Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team into a physical battle to wear them down before delivering the finishing blow.

However, the group stage performances showed that this West Asian team lacks unpredictability. This will be an opportunity for Coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad to exploit and surprise their opponent. Moreover, U23 Vietnam’s players are no strangers to physically strong West Asian teams like UAE in this tournament.

Historical encounters heavily favor UAE. According to records, U23 Vietnam has never beaten U23 UAE. The two teams have met eight times across various competitions, with the West Asian side winning five and drawing three. This indicates UAE is a very challenging opponent for Vietnam.

In this tournament, U23 UAE has called up many naturalized players. The naturalization strategy has been a familiar path for UAE football for over a decade. Heavy investment in foreign players, especially from Africa and South America, provides their youth teams with superior physique, stamina, and speed.

However, their group stage performance showed that U23 UAE does not create many surprises in their playstyle. They have a fairly balanced squad but lack outstanding individual talent to make a difference. Their players have good physical attributes but no standout stars to change the game.

Facing U23 UAE, Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team will face significant physical pressure.

Most likely, U23 Vietnam will continue to play in their familiar style against West Asian teams: maintaining patience, showing resilience, avoiding physical contests, and waiting for the opponent to falter before counterattacking.

U23 Vietnam will utilize quick passing, close teamwork, and confident pressing escapes, forcing UAE players to chase the ball. This is supported by UAE’s past difficulties against technically skilled teams. In the group stage, Coach Marcelo Broli’s squad was completely powerless against the agile, technical U23 Japan team.

During the group stage, U23 UAE conceded quite a few goals (4). This suggests their defense is not very solid. Despite having tall central defenders, they are not strong in aerial play and can be clumsy. Their positioning and marking are poor, often causing confusion. They lack concentration and frequently make mistakes under pressure. The UAE central defenders appear uneasy when facing smaller, skillful players who like to dribble and break through.

U23 Vietnam remains fully equipped after the group stage. With no new injuries, Coach Kim Sang-sik has all personnel options available for the quarterfinal against U23 UAE. With stable fitness and high morale after a winning streak, U23 Vietnam approaches the knockout round with full preparation and confidence.

The quarterfinal match between U23 Vietnam and U23 UAE will kick off at 10:30 PM on January 16th.

2026 AFC U23 Championship Quarterfinal Schedule
6:30 PM January 16: Japan (Group B winner) vs Jordan (Group A runner-up)
10:30 PM January 16: Vietnam (Group A winner) vs UAE (Group B runner-up)
6:30 PM January 17: Uzbekistan (Group C winner) vs China (Group D runner-up)
10:30 PM January 17: Australia (Group D winner) vs South Korea (Group C runner-up)