2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals: U23 Vietnam Starts Strong with a 2-0 Win over U23 Jordan

Facing a highly rated opponent from West Asia, coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad started proactively, playing solidly and applying effective pressing from the opening minutes. In the 7th minute, Xuân Bắc took a long-range shot that missed the target. Two minutes later, Minh Phúc fired a determined left-footed shot, forcing the Jordanian goalkeeper into a difficult save.

The turning point came in the 11th minute when the referee consulted VAR after a defensive incident inside the Jordan penalty area. Slow-motion replay showed Mohammad Taha handled the ball while defending a corner. From the penalty spot, Nguyễn Đình Bắc calmly scored, beating goalkeeper Talalga to put U23 Vietnam ahead 1-0 in the 15th minute. This was also the first goal of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals.

After conceding, U23 Jordan pushed forward but met a well-organized and disciplined defense from U23 Vietnam. Hiểu Minh, Văn Khang, and their teammates continuously covered each other, neutralizing aerial balls and direct attacks from the opponents. In the 29th minute, the red-shirted team nearly doubled their lead following a chaotic moment in front of the Jordan goal.

As the first half progressed, the momentum increasingly favored U23 Vietnam. In the 42nd minute, from a cross by Khuất Văn Khang, Hiểu Minh made a precise close-range finish to extend the lead to 2-0, leaving the Jordan defense completely unsettled.

The first half ended with a clear advantage for U23 Vietnam. Nearly all players trusted by coach Kim Sang Sik performed well. Đình Bắc stood out in attack, Văn Khang was energetic in midfield, while Hiểu Minh was not only solid in defense but also scored. The only downside for the red team was the early yellow cards received by Minh Phúc and Thái Sơn.

In the second half, U23 Jordan launched full-force attacks. However, their efforts proved ineffective. Thanks to the excellent performances of Hiểu Minh, Lý Đức, and goalkeeper Trung Kiên, the latter did not have to make any saves throughout the match.

In a rare moment when Jordan broke through U23 Vietnam’s defense in the 79th minute, they still failed to score as number 8 Al Mubaidin’s header went over the crossbar. At the 87th minute, Al Saket tried his luck with a long-range shot, which was powerful but lacked accuracy to trouble the U23 Vietnam goalkeeper.

U23 Vietnam successfully neutralized all of the opponent’s attacks and almost scored a third goal with a shot from over 20 meters by Quốc Cường in the 90+3 minute. Al Talalga stood still as the ball hit the crossbar.

With this “two-star” victory, coach Kim Sang Sik’s team secured all 3 points in their opening match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals.

U23 Vietnam’s next opponent will be U23 Kyrgyzstan, with the match scheduled for 9:00 PM on January 9th (Vietnam time).