Saudi Arabia, 14 January 2026 – After a historic perfect run in the group stage, U23 Vietnam will meet U23 UAE in the quarterfinals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, with the decisive clash scheduled for January 16.
U23 Vietnam have officially learned their opponent for the quarterfinals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, with U23 UAE emerging as the runners-up of Group B. The Vietnamese side topped Group A with a flawless record, defeating U23 Jordan, U23 Saudi Arabia, and U23 Kyrgyzstan. This marks an unprecedented achievement, as it is the first time in history that a Vietnamese team have won all three group-stage matches at a continental tournament.
One day after the group stage concluded, U23 Vietnam confirmed their quarterfinal opponent as U23 UAE, who secured second place in Group B. In the decisive final round, U23 UAE drew 1-1 with U23 Syria, finishing with four points after three matches. They edged Syria on goal difference to clinch the quarterfinal spot.
U23 UAE are a familiar opponent for Vietnam’s youth teams, having met various Vietnamese age-group sides in the past. However, the current U23 Vietnam squad have had limited opportunities to face this opponent over the past two years, adding an element of uncertainty to the upcoming clash.
At the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, U23 UAE feature six naturalized players, including Leonard Offoe Amesimeku, Solomon Sosu, and Richard Akonnor (Ghanaian origin), Junior Salif Ndiaye (French origin), Adli Mohamed (Bahraini origin), and Hazem Mohammad Abdullah Abbas (Jordanian origin). Despite this, their group-stage performances were relatively inconsistent. U23 UAE opened with a 2-0 win over U23 Qatar, suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat to U23 Japan, and then drew 1-1 with Syria in the final round.
The quarterfinal match between U23 Vietnam and U23 UAE will take place at 22:30 on January 16 (Vietnam time). With confidence high after a perfect group stage, U23 Vietnam will be aiming to continue their remarkable journey and move one step closer to another historic milestone at the continental level.
Ha Anh
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