China, 28 March 2026 – U23 Vietnam suffered a narrow 0–1 defeat to Thailand in their second match at the CFA Team China Cup on the afternoon of March 28, after conceding just seconds into the game and failing to find an equalizer.
While Vietnam brought a young and relatively inexperienced squad to the tournament, Thailand arrived with a stronger and more seasoned lineup, including players who have competed at the U23 Asian level and in the Thai League. Their quality was already evident in the opening match, where they held hosts China to a 2–2 draw.
Using the tournament as a chance to test young talents, coach Dinh Hong Vinh made three changes to the starting lineup compared to the draw against DPR Korea. Hai Anh, Quoc Tu, and Anh Tuan were introduced, while the core of the team still featured U23 players such as goalkeeper Cao Van Binh, Nguyen Cong Phuong, and Le Van Thuan.
However, Vietnam were dealt an early blow just 14 seconds into the match. Thailand launched an attack down the left flank before forward Thanakrit broke past two defenders and fired a powerful shot. The ball deflected off a Vietnamese defender, wrong-footing goalkeeper Cao Van Binh and finding the net.
Beyond the early goal, Thailand continued to dominate possession and created several clear chances but failed to extend their lead due to missed opportunities and saves from the Vietnamese goalkeeper.
Vietnam, on the other hand, struggled with cohesion due to the inexperience and limited time playing together. Although they created a few chances, including from set pieces, their finishing lacked precision. Thai Ba Dat came closest but failed to hit the target, as Vietnam were unable to break down Thailand’s defense.
Vietnam were invited to the tournament in China as a replacement for Iran, who withdrew due to instability in the Middle East. With the competition overlapping the FIFA international window, coach Dinh Hong Vinh was put in charge of the U23 side, while coach Kim Sang Sik remained with the senior national team.
As this is a friendly tournament, Vietnam did not bring the squad that recently finished third at the U23 Asian Championship. Only a few U23 players were included, with the rest being promising young talents preparing for the upcoming Asian Games in September.
In their final match, U23 Vietnam will face hosts U23 China at 18:30 on March 31.
VSN/RPT
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