The names that need to be especially vigilant include Pham Ly Duc, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Pham Minh Phuc, Nguyen Thai Son and Vo Anh Quan. Among these, except for Anh Quan, the remaining 4 players are all factors who regularly participate in coach Kim Sang-sik's starting lineup. These are all players who received yellow cards in the first two matches.
According to the tournament regulations, players who receive enough 2 yellow cards before the semi-finals will be banned from playing one match. This forces the above-mentioned players to minimize unnecessary foul situations, especially in the context that U23 Vietnam is not sure of a place to continue.
Among the cases at risk, Nguyen Thai Son's position is considered the most worrying. U23 Vietnam currently only arranges two central midfielders to manage the midfield area, simultaneously undertaking the task of controlling the game, supporting attack and defense. With the role of intercepting in front of the defense, Thai Son often has to participate in disputes, thereby potentially receiving more cards.
Notably, in the list of U23 Vietnam participating in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals, coach Kim Sang-sik only has 3 central midfielders including Thai Son, Nguyen Xuan Bac and Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong. If the team advances but Thai Son is suspended, the coaching staff will face many risks regarding personnel plans in the quarter-finals.
In Group A, U23 Vietnam has not officially won a ticket to the quarter-finals but is holding a very big advantage. The red shirt team is only eliminated in case of losing to U23 Saudi Arabia with a score of 0-3 or a gap of 4 goals or more, and U23 Jordan wins against U23 Kyrgyzstan.
To maintain the top spot in the group and avoid facing U23 Japan in the knockout round, U23 Vietnam needs at least one point against the host U23 Saudi Arabia. This is a feasible goal, but requires high vigilance and discipline, especially in dispute situations that can lead to penalties.
The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Saudi Arabia will take place at 11:30 pm tonight (January 12).
Watch the Full Round of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship Finals on TV360 at https://tv360.vn . Smooth experience on multi-platform, replay - view, free 4G/5G Viettel data.
