Thai media salute Đình Bắc's goal, amazed by U23 Vietnam's tireless performance throughout the match.

Thai media commend U23 Vietnam following the thrilling 3-2 win against U23 UAE in the 2026 U23 Asian Championship quarterfinals. Siam Sport’s fanpage, Siamsport FootballSiam, described coach Kim Sang-sik’s team as having a "lion’s heart," fighting fiercely to reach the semifinals for only the second time in history, after 2018.

"The golden stars stand proud! U23 Vietnam showed a lion’s heart, defeating U23 UAE 3-2 after extra time in an emotional match, securing their place in the semifinals of the Asian Championship for the second time ever. In the semis, U23 Vietnam will await the winner between U23 Uzbekistan and U23 China on January 20," wrote Siamsport FootballSiam.

Thai journalist Jay Worapath wrote: "U23 Vietnam maintains a 100% winning record after overcoming UAE in extra time to reach the semifinals. Their next opponent will be the winner between Uzbekistan and China."

Thai football fanpage KrianBuriramv2 acknowledged: "U23 Vietnam is truly outstanding, rising to become one of Asia’s top teams. They have officially qualified for the U23 Asian Championship semifinals. With their determined spirit and warrior’s heart, if they keep playing like this, winning the championship is definitely possible."

The famous Thai football YouTube channel Tangmo Piyapong commented: "Oh my, this match was intense and extremely dramatic! U23 Vietnam took the lead three times, exactly like a national team. I must admit this generation of players is incredibly strong and resilient. They defeated all Arab teams and won four consecutive matches to reach the semifinals, showing outstanding form. Nguyễn Đình Bắc was explosive, truly impressive — this team is just remarkable."

"It must be acknowledged that U23 Vietnam plays very aggressively. Their physical fitness is excellent, enough to keep up with Asian and Arab teams. Their mentality is steady, calm, and they execute very effectively. They also have key players like Nguyễn Đình Bắc, who always knows how to create opportunities for teammates," commented YouTube channel Tangmo Piyapong.

"Early in the second half, U23 Vietnam was not very sharp, but their finishing was quite good, building positive momentum. They pressed, dribbled, and executed set pieces very dangerously. Such chances appeared frequently and could decide the match. Overall, this is a very strong phase for Vietnamese football. Any team facing U23 Vietnam now must prepare thoroughly."

"Honestly, after watching the full hour plus of play, I can confirm Vietnam has changed and is no longer the same. If they maintain this form, they will become very formidable in Southeast Asia, and that is no exaggeration."

The Thai YouTube channel further commented: "This is how you play with incredible patience, along with a solid technical foundation. Especially with a top player like Đình Bắc. When he came on, he assisted in the first half and scored in the second. That goal was truly impressive. This is a very high level of performance from U23 Vietnam in the Arab region. They defeated U23 Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Saudi Arabia, and even eliminated the host team, which is no easy feat. U23 Vietnam’s deep run still amazes me, especially with Đình Bắc’s beautiful backward header. Absolutely wonderful! Anyone watching must admit U23 Vietnam is a quality team."

"Unbelievable, U23 Vietnam ran tirelessly throughout the entire match! It’s like they could run all day and night. Then U23 Vietnam took the lead for the third time, beating UAE 3-2. Seriously, is this really the U23 Vietnam team? They are so explosive, physically fit, deserving all the praise. It’s undeniable. I don’t know how they managed to surge ahead again, even after almost being equalized, but they kept breaking through the opponent’s defense in fast-paced exchanges. Truly impressive. If U23 Vietnam plays like this, all I can say is respect. I really tip my hat to U23 Vietnam; they fully deserve the victory and their spot among the top 4 teams," confirmed the Thai YouTube channel.