Assessing U23 China, after the semi-final match took place on the evening of January 20 (Vietnam time), Trung Kien said that the opponent showed a completely different face compared to what U23 Vietnam had analyzed before the match. The goalkeeper of U23 Vietnam said: "Today the opponent's team played completely differently. Tight but attacked very sharply".
On the field, U23 China showed effectiveness in set pieces and decisive handling in the second half. Individually, Trung Kien, despite having some saves, notably the situation of blocking Ly Duc's header into his own net in the 61st minute, could not help U23 Vietnam avoid defeat.
The goalkeeper born in 2003 also emphasized the forward spirit of the whole team after missing the opportunity to enter the final. He shared: "In the next match, the whole team will try to recover to win the next match.
According to the schedule, U23 Vietnam will enter the 3rd place match of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship against U23 Korea on January 23. This is considered an opportunity for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team to regain their spirit and close the tournament with a positive result.
