On the afternoon of December 24, U23 Vietnam entered the second training session in preparation for the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals. After a tense 33rd SEA Games, the coaching staff maintained a moderate intensity, prioritizing helping players recover their physical condition, regain the feel of the ball and the pace of competition after a short break.
According to central defender Pham Ly Duc, coach Kim Sang-sik especially emphasized overcoming the limitations of showing at the SEA Games, in the context that opponents in the continental arena are considered to be of a higher level than the Southeast Asian region. The whole team is required to improve their playing style if they want to complete the goal of passing the group stage.
The current focus of U23 Vietnam is on how to consolidate what is lacking at the SEA Games. The coach focuses on the players in the finishing and defensive stages of the ball," Ly Duc shared.
In this training session, coach Kim Sang-sik added two more factors, center back Le Van Ha (Hanoi FC) and striker Bui Vi Hao (Becamex HCMC). Commenting on the new faces, Ly Duc said: "Vi Hao has just returned, so the teacher let me get used to it gradually. This is a very good reinforcement for the attack. Van Ha is also a player who has focused a lot in previous rounds, so this is an option to consolidate both in defense and attack".
According to the plan, U23 Vietnam will go to Qatar for training before entering the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals. Choosing Qatar is considered an important preparation step, because the weather conditions here are similar to the host Saudi Arabia.
In the group stage, U23 Vietnam will face U23 Jordan (18:30 on January 6), U23 Kyrgyzstan (21:30 on January 9.) and host U23 Saudi Arabia in the match considered the deciding factor of the group (23:30 on January 12).
Recalling the moment he received the captain's armband from Dinh Bac in the 33rd SEA Games final, Ly Duc said: "I don't remember exactly when, but at that time coach Kim Sang-sik directed Dinh Bac to be substituted. Dinh Bac gave me the captain's armband after his teammates urged me. Dinh Bac also wants me to convey positive energy to the whole team in the final minutes".
Sharing about the shortlist for the 2025 Vietnam Golden Ball, the U23 Vietnam midfielder expressed his support for his teammate: "I hope Dinh Bac will win the Vietnam Golden Ball, although it is not known who the award belongs to".
Evaluating the current training process, Ly Duc added: Today is the second training session of U23 Vietnam. Yesterday, we mainly met and practiced lightly. Before entering the SEA Games, he said that this is not only a preparation for the SEA Games but also for the long-term process, towards U23 Asia.
According to this central defender, when playing on the continental stage, U23 Vietnam may have to face top teams such as Japan or Korea, so the whole team needs to make more efforts, especially in their attacking ability, to prepare for the big challenge ahead.
