U23 Vietnam's 2-0 victory over U23 Jordan in the opening match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship made regional media re-examine the strength of coach Kim Sang-sik's team.
Before kick-off, U23 Jordan was rated higher. The West Asian representative came to the tournament with a strongly developing football background, once rising to the runner-up position at the 2023 Asian Cup and winning a ticket to the 2026 World Cup at the national team level.
Therefore, U23 Vietnam's convincing victory surprised Asian and Southeast Asian observers.
The famous Indonesian sports newspaper commented that U23 Vietnam's performance exceeded expectations, and also assessed that the red shirt team is showing confidence and strength.
According to this newspaper, many young Vietnamese players have accumulated experience in the national team, creating a more mature team than their age. They also emphasized that Jordan is an opponent with good physique and fitness but still cannot neutralize the effective playing style of U23 Vietnam.
The Thai and Malaysian media also gave many compliments. The sports website of the Golden Temple country said that U23 Vietnam had an ideal start, while the Malaysian press called this victory a "shock" of the group stage when Jordan was considered the upper hand.
Some articles also argue that this is an affirmation of the position of Vietnamese youth football in Southeast Asia, where the team often creates differences in major tournaments.
The common point mentioned by many regional newspapers is the ability to take advantage of fixed situations of U23 Vietnam. Sports writers describe the corner kicks of coach Kim Sang-sik's team as "fearsome weapons", even a team with superior height like Jordan is also clumsy in defense.
On Indonesian forums, many fans also recalled sad memories when the U23 team of this country once lost to Vietnam from a corner kick situation in the U23 Southeast Asian final.
U23 Vietnam has stepped into the Asian arena with confidence, efficiency and clear identity. What makes opponents wary right from the group stage," the Indonesian newspaper emphasized.
