Vietnam U23 team officially passed the qualifying round with the top spot in the group.

On the evening of September 9, the U23 Vietnam team won a narrow victory over U23 Yemen in the final match of Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, thereby winning the right to continue as group leader.

The Vietnam U23 team has participated in the U23 Asian Finals for the 6th consecutive time. Photo: VFF

The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Yemen started with caution from both sides. U23 Vietnam controlled the ball better but did not push the pace. Meanwhile, U23 Yemen also played safely, focusing on defense.

U23 Vietnam had a lot of possession of the ball but played very poorly. Before the end of the first half, coach Kim Sang Sik caused a big surprise when he decided to replace the entire U23 Vietnam attack, bringing Van Thuan, Dinh Bac and Thanh Nhan onto the field.

In the second half, the game became more exciting. In the 58th minute, U23 Yemen responded with a great free kick combination. However, Omar Mahcross's final shot went over the bar. U23 Yemen started to accelerate their attacks from both sides, causing some confusion for the U23 Vietnam defense.

Player Thanh Nhan scored the only goal for U23 Vietnam. Photo: VFF

In the 70th minute, coach Kim Sang Sik's substitution paid off. From a well-coordinated 1-2 pass with Van Thuan, Thanh Nhan unleashed a powerful shot into the near corner, opening the score 1-0 for U23 Vietnam.

This was also the only goal of the match. By winning by a narrow margin against U23 Yemen, U23 Vietnam officially qualified for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship with the top spot in the group and a perfect record. Meanwhile, with 6 points, U23 Yemen is at high risk of being eliminated.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/doi-tuyen-u23-viet-nam-chinh-thuc-vuot-qua-vong-loai-voi-ngoi-nhat-bang-715581.html