U23 Vietnam entered the last match of Group A of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals with a great advantage as they are leading the rankings after 2 consecutive victories.
Before the confrontation with U23 Saudi Arabia, coach Kim Sang-sik's team only needed a draw to win a ticket to the quarter-finals with the top spot in the group, but the team's goal was still 3 full points.
After 2 rounds of matches, U23 Vietnam has 6 absolute points, while U23 Saudi Arabia has only won 3 points and is ranked 3rd. In a forced situation to win, the home team is likely to enter the game with a determined spirit, but what has been shown shows that they have not created peace of mind in terms of playing style.
U23 Saudi Arabia only narrowly defeated U23 Kyrgyzstan in a one-man advantage and lost 2-3 to U23 Jordan. The common point in these matches is that the attacking organization is not effective, the midfield lacks control, while the defense reveals many gaps when raising the squad. These are factors that U23 Vietnam can completely exploit.
On the side of U23 Vietnam, coach Kim Sang-sik's team is showing clear confidence and cohesion. The current force is a team that has been trained through many tournaments in the past two years, possessing players with speed, technique and good coordination ability. The defense is also operating stably when they have only conceded one goal after two matches.
However, U23 Vietnam will definitely not be subjective. U23 Saudi Arabia with the advantage of physique and fitness can use many long balls and aerial situations to put pressure. Maintaining team distance and concentration in defense will be a key factor for the red shirt team.
Regarding personnel, coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to continue to use the strongest squad. Dinh Bac and Le Phat are expected to create breakthroughs in attack, while the midfield with Thai Son, Phi Hoang or Van Khang plays the role of controlling the game. Substitutes such as Van Thuan, Cong Phuong or Thanh Nhan are ready to make a difference when brought on the field.
In the context that the opponent is forced to take risks, U23 Vietnam has the opportunity to exploit the gaps well to aim for victory, thereby closing the group stage with a perfect record and winning a ticket to the quarter-finals with the top spot in Group A.
Score prediction: U23 Saudi Arabia 1-1 U23 Vietnam
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