The balance match
U23 Vietnam is the only team at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament to enter the championship match with an all-win record. Notably, the team's 7 goals all came from high-profile situations. Coach Kim Sang-sik is building a signature hit for the youth team. From there, Phi Hoang, Dinh Bac, Van Khang, Xuan Bac... gained more confidence when coordinating in front of the opponent's goal.
Things will be perfect if U23 Vietnam creates efficiency in close-range attacks. In the semi-final match against U23 Philippines, U23 Vietnam missed two decade opportunities from Dinh Bac and Van Thuan, even though they had approached the opponent's 5m50 area. Mr. Kim Sang-sik also admitted that U23 Vietnam did not finish well. Meanwhile, Li Duc, Xuan Bac or Hieu Minh... also think that their teammates need to take advantage of the opportunity even more.
In addition to the attack, coach Kim Sang Sik also found an effective counter-ball solution for the defense. The two goals that U23 Vietnam suffered both came from passes into the penalty area. One of them was a mistake by central defender Hieu Minh when he missed the serve, creating an opportunity for the Philippine striker to score. It is worth mentioning that this is the second time in just half a year that Hieu Minh has made such a mistake. Previously, at the CFA Team China tournament last March, he also caused U23 Vietnam to concede a goal against U23 China for mis judging the ball.
U23 Indonesia will certainly analyze the advantages and disadvantages of U23 Vietnam. Strong throw-ins are a dangerous weapon for the home team, with the final destination being Jens Raven - the player leading the list of top scorers at the moment. With a height of nearly 1m90, this naturalized striker will cause many difficulties for Vietnam's defense.
Another advantage for U23 Indonesia is playing at home at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. If they can fill the stands with 80,000 spectators, the team from the archipelago will put great pressure on the legs of the U23 Vietnam players. Remember, more than a year ago, the Vietnamese team lost to Indonesia in the World Cup qualifiers in Bung Karno.
In recent confrontations, U23 Vietnam has not lost to U23 Indonesia. Most recently, the 2023 U23 Southeast Asian final, where the two teams drew 0-0 after 120 minutes and U23 Vietnam won the championship after a penalty shootout with a score of 6-5. This makes Indonesia more determined to recover the debt.
Waiting for the 3rd championship of U23 Vietnam
U23 Vietnam is determined to aim for the third consecutive championship to create the most impressive achievement in the history of the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship. Thereby, coach Kim Sang-sik himself also somewhat relieved the pressure after the national team's failure in the Asian Cup qualifiers.
Ahead of the important match, President of the Vietnam Football Federation - Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan emphasized that U23 Vietnam's participation in the regional final for the third consecutive time is a proud record, demonstrating the sustainable progress of the country's youth football.
I especially appreciate the efforts of the coaching staff and the whole team throughout the tournament, especially during difficult times with squads and competition schedules. The most important thing at this time is to stay calm, focus, actively recover their physical strength, tighten their formation and promote solidarity.
Believe in your abilities, trust each other and fight for the flag and colors. If they win right in your country, U23 Vietnam will continue to engrave their name in the history of regional football - 3 consecutive times in the final and 3 times in the championship", Mr. Tuan said.
The final match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Indonesia will take place at 8:00 p.m. on July 29 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, live on FPT Play. The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has officially announced that it will apply VAR technology in this match.
