U23 Vietnam faces U23 China: The clash of 'Spears and Shields'

The TTXVN correspondent in Beijing quoted Chinese media describing the encounter between U23 Vietnam and U23 China as a “battle of Spears and Shields.”

Previously, on January 17 at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City, the U23 China team defeated Uzbekistan, a top contender for the championship, in a penalty shootout during the AFC U23 Asian Cup quarterfinals. This marks the first time in 22 years that China’s men’s national football team has reached the semifinals of an Asian tournament.

According to Xinhua News Agency, this victory was long-awaited, and the players’ resilient fighting spirit has strongly inspired Chinese fans. However, the U23 China team now faces an even bigger challenge.

Although many may not consider Vietnam a leading team in Asia, in recent years Vietnamese football has made significant progress, producing many talented young players and achieving impressive results. At the 2018 AFC U23 Asian Cup, Vietnam remarkably reached the final, finishing as runners-up under snowy conditions in Changzhou, China.

In that tournament, the U23 Vietnam team won all three group stage matches, securing first place in their group and advancing to the next round. In the quarterfinals, U23 Vietnam defeated UAE 3-2 after 120 minutes of play, maintaining a perfect record with four wins and scoring eight goals, ranking second in goals scored, only behind Japan’s 11 goals.

On the other hand, U23 China advanced to the semifinals largely due to their solid defense. U23 China was the only team in the tournament to keep a clean sheet, with goalkeeper Li Hao making 24 saves (the highest in the tournament) to maintain a flawless defensive record.

Xinhua News Agency predicts today’s semifinal will be a direct showdown between “sharp spears” and “strong shields,” also providing detailed analysis of both teams’ lineups and tactics.

Regarding the schedule, both teams played full 120 minutes in their quarterfinal matches, with U23 China even going to penalties. U23 Vietnam has one extra day of rest compared to U23 China, which might give Vietnam a slight advantage in stamina.

In terms of lineup, both teams have relatively complete squads. U23 Vietnam boasts excellent dribbling skills, while U23 China has a physical advantage and can exploit their height to create opportunities from set pieces.

Historically, the two teams are quite familiar with each other. Last November, the U22 China team, mostly composed of current squad players, lost 0-1 to U22 Vietnam at the 2025 Panda Cup. Two months later, they met again. At the pre-match press conference, both coaches declared the match would be tough, but each expressed strong confidence in their players.

The article quoted U23 China’s head coach Antonio Puche as saying: “We know the Vietnam team very well. They are well-organized and transition quickly between attack and defense. This will be a very challenging match, but the players are ready to face it, and we will fight to reach the final.”

Meanwhile, sharing the same view, the website “Observer” (guancha.cn) described the match between U23 Vietnam and U23 China as a “clash of Spears and Shields.” Statistics highlight a clear contrast: Vietnam has scored 8 goals in this tournament, demonstrating strong attacking power, while China has conceded no goals in 4 matches, showing an extremely solid defense.

Tactically, China mainly employs a 5-3-2 formation in this tournament, focusing on defense and relying on tight organization, set pieces, and quick counterattacks to create scoring chances.

Conversely, Vietnam prefers a 4-4-2 style, emphasizing long passes and ball control with flexible tactical coordination, excelling at breaking through opposing defenses with skillful passing and movement. In this match, the confrontation between resilient defense and effective attack will be the main highlight.