Indonesia, 22 July, 2025 – On the evening of July 22, U23 Vietnam secured a hard-fought 2-1 win over Cambodia to book their place in the semifinals of the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship. However, head coach Kim Sang Sik expressed that he was not entirely satisfied with his team’s performance.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the South Korean tactician stated: “First of all, I’m very happy with this victory. Winning both group matches was the result of the players’ hard work and the support from our fans. In the semifinal, we will face U23 Philippines, and we will prepare well to win.”
Reflecting on the match against Cambodia, Kim noted: “Before conceding the equalizer, we missed several clear chances. That made things more difficult than they needed to be. Nevertheless, we still trust our players.”
One highlight of U23 Vietnam’s performance so far has been their effectiveness from set-pieces. All three of their goals in the group stage came from corner kicks. “Those goals came from our center-backs, Ly Duc and Hieu Minh (who has scored twice). That’s a real strength of our team,” Kim added. “I hope they’ll continue scoring in the semifinal and final, though I also hope other players will step up as well.”
Looking ahead to the semifinal, Kim offered his thoughts on the upcoming opponents: “Compared to facing the host team Indonesia, playing against U23 Philippines might be easier since they’re also an away team. But in general, the Philippines are a strong side with balance in both attack and defense. We will analyze them carefully. No matter who we face, we will be ready and confident in our approach.”
Meanwhile, Nguyen Dinh Bac, who scored the winning goal and was named Man of the Match, shared his determination: “It was a great match between Vietnam and Cambodia. We were determined to win and reach the semifinals. We will continue working harder and aiming for the championship. I want to thank all the Vietnamese fans for their support.”
U23 Vietnam will face U23 Philippines in the semifinal on July 25 as they look to defend their ASEAN U23 Championship title.
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