Tension when meeting Jordan, Kyrgyzstan
At the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, U23 Vietnam is in Group A with host U23 Saudi Arabia, U23 Kyrgyzstan and U23 Jordan.
In theory, with the overwhelming strength from U23 Saudi Arabia, coach Kim Sang-sik's team's chances of winning points are very low. Therefore, U23 Vietnam determined to try to get points against U23 Jordan and U23 Kyrgyzstan. However, these two opponents are also not simple.
With U23 Jordan, they have never been absent from the AFC U23 Championship finals. Although their achievements are not too outstanding (3/6 times eliminated from the group stage), Jordan always causes difficulties for championship contenders in the same group.
In the qualifiers, U23 Jordan won all 3 matches (scoring 19 goals, conceding 1 goal) against Turkmenistan, Taiwan (China) and Bhutan. The friendly match process was also positive when they drew with defending runner-up U23 Uzbekistan (1-1) and defending champion U23 Japan (0-0).
The factor creating the solid defense of U23 Jordan comes from the tactics built by coach Omar Najhi. In addition to goalkeeper Ali Hajabi (1m91), the quartet also possesses impressive heights such as Arafat Al Haj (1m89), Mohammad Taha (1m82), Abdallah Al-Mnayyes (1m80), thereby helping U23 Jordan successfully neutralize high ball situations in front of their own goal.
U23 Jordan also has dangerous attacking faces that U23 Vietnam noted. We can mention Odeh Fakhouri with good physical foundation, impressive acceleration ability and high cross accuracy.
It should be added that U23 Jordan has never lost to U23 Vietnam in 3 encounters at the Asian tournament. In addition to 2 draws with the same score of 0-0 in 2020 and 2024, U23 Jordan once won U23 Vietnam 3-1 in 2016.
In the 2nd match, U23 Vietnam will face U23 Kyrgyzstan - a newcomer to the tournament. Although their continental playing experience is limited, this does not mean that they will easily let Mr. Kim Sang Sik's team get 3 points.
Remember, in the recent qualifying round, U23 Kyrgyzstan even drew with defending runner-up U23 Uzbekistan, thereby opening the door to the final round.
The preparation journey of U23 Kyrgyzstan was also quite impressive. They tried their hand at U23 Bahrain, U21 Russia, U23 Iran and U23 China. As a result, they defeated Iran and Bahrain with the same score of 2-1.
U23 Vietnam is not allowed to be subjective when facing this opponent. If they want to get 3 points to compete for second place in the group, Dinh Bac and his teammates need to cherish the opportunity to seek an advantage against Kyrgyzstan.
U23 Saudi Arabia is too strong
In addition to being the host, U23 Saudi Arabia is also a strong candidate for the championship.
In terms of force, U23 Saudi Arabia possesses a squad considered the best in the tournament. In addition to Cristiano Ronaldo's 3 teammates at Al Nassr, Salem Al-Najdi, Abdulmalik Al-Jaber and Abdulrahman Sufyani, coach Luigi Di Biago also has many continental-class stars such as Abdullah Radif - a 22-year-old player who has won many titles with Al Hilal club.
He is also the face who won the 2022 AFC U23 Championship with U23 Saudi Arabia. Currently, Abdullah Radif is a Saudi Arabian national team player. After 23 appearances, this striker has scored 2 goals.
This tournament is also a stepping stone for Radif to score points in the eyes of coach Renard Herve, hoping to be named in the 2026 World Cup plan.
According to Saudi Arabian newspapers, with the determination to win the championship at the tournament held at home, coach Di Biagio advocates building a squad with many experienced players, who have played in the AFC U23 Championship 2 years ago as well as some other recent tournaments.
This helps U23 Saudi Arabia create cohesion and cohesion in their playing style, aiming for great ambitions at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals.
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