On the night of January 12 (Vietnam time), U23 Vietnam defeated U23 Saudi Arabia with a score of 1-0 in the last match of Group A of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. This result helped coach Kim Sang-sik's team close the group stage with the top spot, while U23 Saudi Arabia only had 3 points, ranked third and stopped early. In the match at the same time, U23 Jordan defeated U23 Kyrgyzstan 1-0 to win a ticket to the quarter-finals with second place in the group.
After the match, Saudi Arabian media expressed great disappointment with the home team's performance, and at the same time praised U23 Vietnam. Some writers said that being eliminated from the group stage is an unacceptable outcome for the home team, especially when U23 Saudi Arabia participated in the tournament with a well-rated and highly expected force.
According to assessments from Saudi Arabian experts, U23 Vietnam showed clear progress in competitive bravery. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team played disciplined and alert in the first half to relieve pressure, before increasing their attacking power in the second half and taking good advantage of scoring decisive goals.
The country's media also pointed out the limitations of U23 Saudi Arabia, from the dispersal between the lines to the fact that highly anticipated players did not leave a mark at the key moment. This made it difficult for the home team to penetrate the tightly organized defense of U23 Vietnam.
In addition, the performance of many individuals on the U23 Vietnam side received positive reviews, especially goalkeeper Trung Kien with a series of important saves. Personnel adjustments in the second half were also considered a turning point to help U23 Vietnam control the game well and preserve their advantage.
With the top spot in the group and a highly appreciated playing style for wisdom and efficiency, U23 Vietnam is recognized by Saudi Arabian media as a team capable of going deep at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship if they continue to maintain their form and avoid too strong opponents in the next rounds.
