Ukraine's Tips page assesses U23 Vietnam as a team that "holds a clear upper hand" before the 2026 AFC U23 Championship semi-finals, based on stable performance, breakthrough-rich attacking power and the ability to maintain the pace of the match much higher than the opponent.
According to the analysis system of this page, Vietnam not only scored more goals, but also showed a balance between pressing, switching positions and defending - factors that create a foundation to help coach Kim Sang-sik's team stand out more in the decisive stage.
U23 Vietnam makes a difference from scoring efficiency and opportunity quality
According to statistics released by Tips, Vietnam is one of the three teams with the most consecutive goals in the tournament. The team that scored in all four matches, respectively surpassed Jordan 2-0, Kyrgyzstan 2-1, Saudi Arabia 1-0 and UAE 3-2.
Eight goals were created from many different layers of attack: 40% came from central combinations, 35% came from the wings and 25% originated from quick transitions.
Vietnam's finishing efficiency averaged 10.5 shots/game, with 4.3 shots on target, nearly double that of China. The team's chance conversion rate reached 18.9%, one of the highest levels remaining at the tournament.
In the opposite direction, Vietnam only conceded three goals, kept a clean sheet in two matches and had a counter-attacking success rate of up to 72%, showing that the two-layer defense structure operates firmly enough to compensate for playing more attacks.
U23 China stands out in defense but attacks are ineffective
China advanced to the semi-finals with a defensive journey: draw with Iraq 0-0, win against Australia 1-0, draw with Thailand 0-0 and draw with Uzbekistan 0-0. The team's most outstanding point is that they have not conceded a goal after four matches - a very rare statistic seen in the history of the AFC U23 Championship.
However, the problem lies in the fact that the team only scored 1 goal, with a finishing rate of only 0.8 times/match - the lowest in the group of 4 strongest teams.
China's number of fouls also attracted attention: 55 fouls in the last 5 matches, showing a style of play that leans towards strength, rich in opponents but also contains great risks when facing teams that exploit fixed points well like Vietnam.
The team's pass accuracy rate is only at 72%, much lower than Vietnam's (79%), leading to limited attack deployment and lack of depth in how to create opportunities.
Vietnam's midfield plays a decisive role thanks to its ability to regulate the pace of the match.
Tips page gave many words to Nguyen Thai Son and Khuat Van Khang, seeing them as "two players holding the key in regulating rhythm and controlling state changes". This duo helps Vietnam maintain smoothness when switching from defense to attack, while maintaining stability in structure when under pressure from opponents.
Thai Son has a successful ball contest rate of 64%, while Van Khang achieved a pass accuracy rate in the bottom 1/3 of the field up to 81%, showing great influence in creating opportunities.
Prediction. U23 Vietnam is capable of winning the gap and can keep a clean sheet.
Based on a compilation of parameters – from number of goals, finishing efficiency, tempo control ratio to balance between attack and defense – Tips Ukraine page predicts: “Vietnam is likely to win by at least one goal difference and can completely keep a clean sheet”.
This assessment is reinforced by the clear difference in the quality of chances of the two teams, the stability in Vietnam's operating style and the great limitation in China's attacking ability.
