In the match taking place in the early morning of January 13, U23 Vietnam faced a big challenge against U23 Saudi Arabia - a team highly rated for physique, fitness and international competition experience.
However, with disciplined play and the solidity of the defense, the red shirt team won minimally, thereby closing the group stage with a perfect record.
As a reliable stopper in the goal, goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien played excellently with a series of saves for U23 Vietnam.
Talking to the media after the match, he affirmed that the goal of the whole team from the beginning was to win all 3 points.
When we took the field, our goal was 3 points. To achieve that, the whole team played with more than 100% of their strength," Trung Kien shared after the match.
With 3 consecutive wins, U23 Vietnam won 9 absolute points and proudly topped the group, thereby winning a ticket to the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. However, the goalkeeper born in 2003 emphasized that the whole team does not allow themselves to be satisfied early.
The team is very happy and excited to have 9 absolute points and enter the quarterfinals. However, we will not stop here and will try to perform even better in the next round," he said.
According to Trung Kien, right after the match against U23 Saudi Arabia, the coaching staff and players clearly identified the task ahead. “After each match, we learn from experience and analyze the next opponent.
We will try harder in the next match to not disappoint the fans," the goalkeeper of Hoang Anh Gia Lai affirmed.
The victory over U23 Saudi Arabia not only helped U23 Vietnam complete the group stage convincingly but also showed maturity in competitive bravery.
With Tran Trung Kien's stable form and team-wide cohesive play, the coaching staff and students are showing that they are ready to aim for higher goals in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
