In the match taking place on the evening of January 23 and ending in the early morning of January 24 (Vietnam time), Cao Van Binh was one of the most prominent factors on the U23 Vietnam side. The goalkeeper born in 2004 played a full 120 minutes, making a great contribution to helping U23 Vietnam draw 2-2 with U23 Korea after official time and extra time, before winning 7-6 on penalties.
In a match where U23 Vietnam often had to retreat deep to defend, especially in the 2nd half and two extra halves when they only played with 10 players, Cao Van Binh continuously faced great pressure from the opponent's shots. The goalkeeper of U23 Vietnam showed good prediction, chosen positions reasonably and handled safely in both high ball and long shot situations.
In the first half, Cao Van Binh had some notable saves, notably the situation of saving Kang Min-jun's close-range shot in the 27th minute. In the second half, although U23 Korea increased the pressure and had an equalizer, the goalkeeper of U23 Vietnam still maintained his concentration, contributing to helping his team drag the match into extra time.
Entering the tense penalty shootout, Cao Van Binh continued to leave his mark when successfully blocking Bae Hyun-seo's shot in the 7th shot, creating an important turning point for U23 Vietnam to win the overall victory.
The title of best player of the match is a recognition for Cao Van Binh's stable and brave performance, and also reflects the important role of this goalkeeper in the journey to help U23 Vietnam win 3rd place at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
