Saudi Arabia, 15 January 2026 – Coach Kim Sang-sik believes U23 Vietnam’s flawless group-stage campaign is clear evidence of the nation’s progress, and insists his team are confident of beating UAE in the quarter-finals of the U23 Asian Cup 2026.
Kim Sang-sik led U23 Vietnam into the quarter-finals of the U23 Asian Cup 2026 as Group A winners after three consecutive victories, defeating Jordan 2-0, Kyrgyzstan 2-1 and hosts Saudi Arabia 1-0. Beyond results, Vietnam have also stood out for efficiency, posting the best shot conversion rate of the tournament so far at 17.9%, scoring five goals from 28 attempts. That figure surpasses Japan (17.5%), Uzbekistan (15.6%) and UAE (13%), while Thailand, the other Southeast Asian representative, managed only 5% before being eliminated.
“Three wins and nine points are a reward for the effort and dedication of the players,” Kim said at a press conference on January 15. “With what they have shown, U23 Vietnam have proven that we are no longer limited to Southeast Asia, but capable of competing at continental level. However, reaching the quarter-finals is not our final destination. We still have strong ambitions, and our top priority now is to prepare thoroughly to beat UAE tomorrow.”
Vietnam’s quarter-final opponents, U23 UAE, finished second in Group B after a 2-0 win over Qatar, a 0-3 loss to Japan and a 1-1 draw with Syria. Despite those mixed results, Kim stressed that UAE remain a formidable challenge. After detailed analysis, he noted that the West Asian side hold clear physical, technical and speed advantages, highlighting two key attacking threats: Junior Ndiaye, a 20-year-old forward currently playing for Montpellier in France’s second division, and domestic-based Mansoor Saeed Al-Menhali.
“Both Ndiaye and Al-Menhali are around 1.8 meters tall and very fast, while UAE’s wide players are also dangerous with their crossing,” Kim explained. “That’s why our defensive line, especially the trio of Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh and Ly Duc, must stay fully focused and provide good cover for each other. We have analyzed the opponent carefully and are confident we can neutralize their attacking options.”
Kim also pointed to subtle advantages for his own team, noting that Vietnam benefit from one extra day of rest compared to UAE. “We are more cohesive as a unit and our tactical execution has improved. The additional recovery time has helped us address minor injuries, so physically we may have a small edge,” he said.
Regarding squad availability, Kim confirmed that striker Nguyen Dinh Bac and midfielder Le Van Thuan are carrying minor knocks, but declined to reveal whether they will start. He emphasized that the coaching staff have prepared multiple tactical and personnel scenarios for the 90 minutes ahead.
Historically, this is the fourth quarter-final appearance for both teams at the U23 Asian Cup. Vietnam reached this stage in 2018, 2022 and 2024, famously finishing runners-up in 2018, while UAE made the quarter-finals in 2013, 2016 and 2020 but have never progressed further. Head-to-head history favors UAE, who are unbeaten in eight meetings with Vietnam, including five official matches, though Kim Sang-sik believes the present form and mentality of his players give U23 Vietnam every reason to believe they can rewrite that record.
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