U23 Vietnam entered the last match of Group A with a great advantage in the race to win a ticket to the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, with 6 points, getting 2 after the first match.
The clash with U23 Saudi Arabia is decisive, because coach Kim Sang-sik's team is holding the right to self-determination in their hands.
With the most favorable scenario, the "Golden Star Warriors" just need not to lose to host Saudi Arabia to advance. A draw or win will help U23 Vietnam reach a minimum of 7 points, definitely closing the group stage with the top spot without caring about the result of the remaining match.
Even when defeated, U23 Vietnam's chances of going further have not closed. If in the match at the same time, U23 Jordan could not defeat U23 Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Kim Sang-sik's team still maintained second place in the group with 6 points, thereby winning the right to participate in the quarterfinals.
The most complex situation will occur when U23 Vietnam loses to U23 Saudi Arabia, and U23 Jordan wins all 3 points against U23 Kyrgyzstan. At that time, Group A will feature three teams with 6 points: Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
According to the tournament regulations, the ranking will be determined based on the direct head-to-head record between teams with the same score. U23 Vietnam defeated Jordan 2-0, Jordan defeated Saudi Arabia 3-2. Therefore, U23 Vietnam will only really fall into a disadvantage if they lose to U23 Saudi Arabia with a difference of 3 goals or more.
The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Saudi Arabia takes place at 11:30 PM today (January 12) and is broadcast live on TV360.
Live viewing link:
//tv360.vn/tv/9887?ch=9887&ev=842749&es=2&col=rcm_live_now§=RECOMMEND&page=home
Watch the full match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn . Smooth experience on multi-platform, replay - review, free 4G/5G Viettel data.
