On the afternoon of January 15, coach Kim Sang-sik had frank shares before the quarter-final match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship between U23 Vietnam and U23 UAE.
The Korean coach admitted the opponent's comprehensive strength, but affirmed that his students will enter the match with the highest determination.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, coach Kim Sang-sik began with words of gratitude to the players: "I want to send my thanks to all U23 Vietnam players for their best efforts to win tickets to the quarterfinals.
Tomorrow's match with U23 UAE is not easy as the opposing player's ability is very high. U23 Vietnam needs to prepare carefully".
According to Mr. Kim, reaching the quarter-finals is a worthy reward for the focused and dedicated competition of the whole team. However, the challenges ahead are not simple when U23 UAE is rated as superior in physique, fitness and personal technique.
However, the head coach of U23 Vietnam affirmed: "Entering the quarterfinals is a reward for the efforts and dedication of the players. We will meet UAE, a superior opponent in both physical and technical terms.
But U23 Vietnam will not flinch. We will play our best, as a united team to achieve the best results".
The coach born in 1976 also emphasized that the collective factor and tactical preparation are the great support of U23 Vietnam: "I believe that U23 Vietnam is a team with collective solidarity and better tactical deployment.
U23 Vietnam also has 1 day more than U23 UAE to rest and recover physically. In terms of fitness, perhaps we have an advantage over U23 UAE. The U23 Vietnam team will rely on all these factors to build their tactics throughout the 90 minutes of the quarter-final match".
U23 Vietnam entered the knockout round with a perfect record after 3 group stage matches, winning all 9 points. According to coach Kim Sang-sik, this is proof of the clear progress of the young players.
U23 Vietnam has had 3 consecutive wins, reached the quarter-finals with 9 points. This is proof of the ability to surpass Southeast Asia and reach the continent level of Vietnamese players.
However, this is not the destination, we still need to set higher goals. The whole team needs to prepare very carefully to be able to play well and win in the quarter-final match. U23 Vietnam still has a lot of desire".
Regarding the force situation, coach Kim Sang-sik said that some players have minor physical problems, but he did not disclose specific personnel plans.
Dinh Bac and Van Thuan are slightly injured, but I cannot share here whether they will play or not. We have also prepared scenarios for a variety of situations, and tomorrow the fans will know," Mr. Kim said.
The quarter-final match between U23 Vietnam and U23 UAE will take place at 10:30 PM on January 16 (Vietnam time).
