U23 Vietnam - U23 South Korea: An Emotional Clash for Coach Kim Sang-sik

U23 South Korea represents the final and arguably the toughest challenge for Coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad in this tournament.

Before the tournament began, Coach Kim Sang-sik hoped that U23 Vietnam would meet U23 South Korea in the final. However, this did not come to pass as U23 Vietnam lost 0-3 to U23 China in the semifinals, while U23 South Korea was defeated 0-1 by U23 Japan.

U23 Vietnam will give their all in their final match of this tournament. Facing U23 South Korea, Vietnamese fans eagerly await the emotional confrontation between Coach Kim Sang Sik and his home country’s team.

The consequences of the loss to U23 China extend beyond morale. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team is also suffering significant setbacks, missing two key defenders: center-back Hieu Minh due to a serious injury and Ly Duc suspended after a red card. Meanwhile, top striker Dinh Bac is not yet at full fitness. Several other key players are also fatigued after a long series of competitions from the SEA Games to the AFC U23 Championship.

U23 South Korea also feels regret at being stopped in the semifinals. Against U23 Japan, the Korean team fought hard, creating numerous dangerous chances but lacked sharpness in finishing.

That match also demonstrated how U23 South Korea struggled against a highly disciplined and tightly organized opponent like U23 Japan, who controlled the game’s tempo effectively. Given their performance throughout the tournament, South Korea’s presence in the third-place playoff is not entirely surprising.

The semifinal defeat denied them a final appearance but fueled their determination to give their all in the last match to secure the consolation bronze medal against U23 Vietnam. South Korea will strive to uphold their honor after losing to Japan. If they fail to beat Vietnam again, Coach Lee Min-sung’s position will face significant pressure ahead of the 20th Asian Games.

Under Coach Lee Min Seong, U23 South Korea raised concerns before the AFC U23 Asian Cup, suffering consecutive losses during their training camp in Saudi Arabia and a defeat to China at the Panda Cup.

The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup is considered a rehearsal for South Korea ahead of the ASIAD Aichi–Nagoya opening in September, but U23 South Korea continued to face criticism for their disappointing performance. They started the group stage with a tough 0-0 draw against Iran, followed by a 4-2 win over Lebanon but then a 0-2 loss to Uzbekistan, a team composed mainly of U21 players.

South Korea still advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to Lebanon’s simultaneous victory. In the quarterfinals, U23 South Korea defeated Australia 2-1 before falling to their "archrival" Japan in the semifinals.

The fact that U23 South Korea, with players mainly from the K-League, lost to Japan’s mostly U21 student squad made the shock even greater. Thus, the third-place playoff carries crucial significance, determining honor and confidence for Coach Lee Min-sung’s team.

U23 South Korea enters the third-place match with an almost complete squad. Stability in personnel gives them a slight advantage in this encounter.

Rated higher, U23 South Korea is likely to adopt an attacking style from the start, allowing U23 Vietnam to utilize their strength in counterattacks.

Facing Coach Kim Sang-sik places considerable pressure on U23 South Korea. He coached Jeonbuk Hyundai from 2021 to 2023 and knows Korean football intimately. Given that South Korea lost to Indonesia under Coach Shin Tae-yong in the quarterfinals two years ago, facing another Korean coach adds to their apprehension.

Before the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup semifinals, Coach Kim Sang-sik expressed his wish for U23 Vietnam to defeat U23 China and reach the final against his homeland team, U23 South Korea, in the tournament’s last match. However, things did not go as hoped, and the two teams only met in the third-place playoff.

Both teams competing in the third-place match accurately reflects the status and strength of U23 Vietnam and U23 South Korea in this tournament. Although they did not reach the final, both remain among the top four strongest teams and are motivated to finish their journey with a positive result.

The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup third-place match between U23 Vietnam and U23 South Korea will take place at 10 PM on January 23rd at King Abdullah Sport City (Saudi Arabia).