Saudi Arabia, 22 January 2026 – U23 Vietnam have received an unexpected boost ahead of the third-place playoff at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 against U23 South Korea, as their opponents will be without a key player.
The third-place match between U23 Vietnam and U23 South Korea will take place at 22:00 on January 23. Prior to the game, U23 Vietnam gain a notable advantage as South Korea U23 are unable to field their strongest lineup.
Specifically, U23 South Korea will be without midfielder Kang Sang Yoon due to injury. The player suffered a torn knee ligament in South Korea’s opening match against Iran U23 and was forced to withdraw from the tournament early.
Kang Sang Yoon’s absence has significantly affected South Korea U23, who have struggled to perform at their expected level throughout the competition. This is considered one of the key reasons they failed to reach the final. Before the tournament, Kang Sang Yoon was widely regarded as the team’s “conductor,” believed to account for more than 50 percent of U23 South Korea’s overall strength. In the most recent season, he played an important role in helping Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors win the K League 2025 title.
U23 South Korea not being at full strength gives U23 Vietnam additional hope of securing victory. However, head coach Kim Sang-sik’s side will still need to make a major effort to achieve this goal, as U23 Vietnam are also missing key defenders Ly Duc and Hieu Minh for different reasons, while striker Dinh Bac has yet to fully recover his best physical condition.
Anh Minh
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