Saudi Arabia, 24 January 2026 – After U23 Vietnam defeated U23 South Korea on penalties in the third-place play-off of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, head coach Kim Sang-sik praised his players’ resilience and singled out goalkeeper Cao Van Binh for his decisive contribution.
Following the dramatic penalty shootout victory over U23 South Korea in the third-place match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, head coach Kim Sang-sik expressed immense pride in the fighting spirit shown by his players and extended heartfelt thanks to Vietnamese supporters.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Korean tactician began by offering words of encouragement to both teams, while highlighting the physical and mental challenges U23 Vietnam had endured throughout the tournament. “Football is truly a very harsh sport. I would like to encourage all players and coaching staff of both teams. U23 Vietnam have gone through extremely difficult matches since the start of the tournament. Today, despite playing with fewer players, the team fought to the very end and won on penalties. I am very proud of the players and sincerely thank the Vietnamese fans,” Kim Sang-sik said.
Assessing the match itself, the coach noted that both sides were clearly exhausted, not only physically but also mentally. However, U23 Vietnam managed to maintain concentration, held firm through extra time without conceding, and showed composure in the decisive penalty shootout. According to Kim, this match provided invaluable experience for his young players and would greatly support their development in the future.
Commenting on the red card shown to Dinh Bac in the second half, Kim Sang-sik described it as an unfortunate moment that stemmed from emotional excitement after scoring. Even so, he stressed that he never lost faith in his team’s mentality, even when U23 Vietnam were reduced to ten men.
The head coach also reserved special praise for the team’s composure during the penalty shootout, particularly highlighting the performance of goalkeeper Cao Van Binh. “Although everyone was extremely tired, the players stayed calm. Van Binh did not have many chances to play earlier in the tournament, but he always worked quietly and diligently. Today, he delivered a performance worthy of praise and made a crucial contribution to the team’s victory,” Kim Sang-sik said.
Alongside the joy of securing third place, the coach also expressed concern for centre-back Nguyen Hieu Minh, who suffered a serious injury, and voiced his hope that the defender would recover quickly and return to the pitch soon.
Before concluding the press conference, Kim Sang-sik sent his New Year wishes to Vietnamese fans with Lunar New Year approaching, while also hoping his players would soon have time to rest and recover after an intense period of competition stretching from the SEA Games to the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.
According to the team’s schedule, the U23 Vietnam squad will return home in two groups. The first group of 26 members will arrive at Noi Bai International Airport at 19:45 on January 24 via the Doha–Hanoi flight, while the second group is scheduled to land at 06:55 on January 25, also at Noi Bai International Airport.
Anh Minh
Leave a Reply