Saudi Arabia 12 January 2026 – U23 Vietnam face a crucial showdown against host nation U23 Saudi Arabia on the night of January 12, knowing that a draw will be enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, but caution remains the key message from head coach Kim Sang-sik and VFF leadership.
The U23 Vietnam will play their decisive group-stage match against hosts U23 Saudi Arabia on the evening of January 12. While a draw would be sufficient for Vietnam to advance to the quarter-finals, the coaching staff remain wary of the challenge posed by one of the tournament’s strongest sides, especially with the pressure and advantage of home support on Saudi Arabia’s side.
Ahead of the encounter, Tran Quoc Tuan, President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), made a direct visit to U23 Vietnam’s training session on January 11 to encourage and boost the morale of the squad, underlining the importance of maintaining focus and composure before the decisive match.
A positive development for U23 Vietnam is the return of forward Nguyen Thanh Nhan, who has rejoined full-contact training and took part actively in recent sessions. His comeback adds another attacking option for coach Kim Sang-sik at a critical moment. The atmosphere on the training pitch reflected high concentration and determination, as every player understands that the clash with Saudi Arabia will determine their fate in the tournament.
According to the pre-tournament schedule, U23 Vietnam will move to Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium for the final group match. This will be the first time Kim Sang-sik’s side play at this venue, as well as their first late-night kickoff of the competition, while Saudi Arabia have already featured twice under similar conditions. Despite this, the coaching staff have proactively prepared tactical and logistical plans to help the team adapt quickly to the pitch, stadium environment and local weather.
Speaking before the training session, midfielder Nguyen Phi Hoang stressed that the team are fully prepared from a tactical standpoint. “U23 Saudi Arabia are a very strong host team. We have carefully analysed them and understand that we must stay highly focused and compete with the highest fighting spirit in the upcoming match,” Phi Hoang said.
Assessing the opponent’s attacking strength, he added: “Saudi Arabia’s attacking players are fast, skillful and technically strong. The coaching staff have told us to pay special attention to their wide play and limit their strengths as much as possible. Personally, my physical condition is very good right now, and the whole team are united, focused and determined for this important game.”
The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Saudi Arabia will kick off at 23:30 (Vietnam time) on January 12, taking place simultaneously with the other Group A fixture between U23 Jordan and U23 Kyrgyzstan, as the battle for quarter-final places reaches its climax.
Pham Linh
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