Saudi Arabia, 9 January 2026 – Head coach Kim Sang-sik shared his post-match assessment after U.23 Vietnam defeated U.23 Kyrgyzstan 2–1 in their second Group A match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup on Tuesday night.
The victory moved Vietnam to the top of Group A with six points, three ahead of hosts U.23 Saudi Arabia, albeit having played one match more. Should the hosts fail to beat U.23 Jordan in their match kicking off at 23:30 (local time), Vietnam will secure a quarter-final berth with one game to spare.
“Although our place in the quarter-finals is not 100% guaranteed yet, this win gives us a big advantage,” Kim said at the post-match press conference. “I want to congratulate and thank the players for fighting until the very end to get this result.”
The Korean coach noted that Kyrgyzstan showed strong determination after their 0–1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the opening match. However, he admitted Vietnam’s performance fell short of expectations. “We scored first, but it was a very difficult match. I am not fully satisfied with the performance,” Kim added.
At King Abdullah Sport City, Vietnam were under pressure early on but earned a surprise penalty in the 17th minute when Bakytbek Murzalim fouled Nguyen Le Phat inside the box. Captain Khuat Van Khang made no mistake, firing a low left-footed shot into the right corner to beat goalkeeper Nurlanbekov.
Kyrgyzstan continued to press and capitalised on a Vietnamese mistake before halftime. In the 44th minute, a misplaced pass by centre-back Nguyen Hieu Minh allowed Marlen Murzakhmatov to unleash a powerful long-range effort from just outside the box, beating goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien to make it 1–1.
The second half developed into a tight, evenly balanced contest. Fortune eventually favoured Vietnam in the 87th minute when centre-back Pham Ly Duc delivered a cross from the right flank to the near post. Le Van Thuan met it with a header, and the ball deflected off Khristiyan Brauzman before rolling into the bottom left corner, leaving the Kyrgyz goalkeeper helpless.
Vietnam’s starting lineup featured a notable change, with Nguyen Quoc Viet replacing regular striker Nguyen Dinh Bac. Kim explained that Dinh Bac had a minor injury and was not risked from the start, entering the match in the 63rd minute. Le Van Thuan was also introduced as planned, having often made a strong impact in second halves.
“Everything was part of the coaching staff’s plan,” Kim said. “Van Thuan usually performs well when he comes on in the second half. Together with Dinh Bac, he caused problems for the opponent, worked hard defensively from the front, and played a key role in the second goal. His performance had a very positive impact on the team.”
At the back, the defensive trio of Pham Ly Duc, Nguyen Hieu Minh and Nguyen Nhat Minh started together for the sixth consecutive match since SEA Games 33. Kim acknowledged that fatigue may have contributed to the error leading to the equaliser.
“There were signs of physical decline,” he said. “We will assess each player’s condition carefully. However, we also need to wait for the result of the Jordan versus Saudi Arabia match before deciding on our personnel plan for the final group game.”
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