Vietnam U23's opponents suffer consecutive losses before the Asian Championship

25/08/2025 11:11:00 esportapi

U23 Bangladesh, the initial rival of Vietnam U23 in the 2026 AFC U23 qualifying round, experienced back-to-back losses to U23 Bahrain prior to their trip to Vietnam.

To prepare for the matches in Group C (Vietnam U23’s group) of the 2025 AFC U23 qualifiers, the Bangladesh U23 team conducted a 12-day training camp in Bahrain.

During their stay, Bangladesh played two friendly matches against the host nation’s U23 team and lost both games consecutively. Specifically, after a narrow 1-0 defeat in the first match, coach Saiful Bari Titu’s squad showed strong determination in the second game. They scored twice to take the lead thanks to forward Mirajul Islam.

Bangladesh maintained a 2-1 lead before the first half ended, but defensive errors in the second half cost them dearly. Bahrain scored three more goals to secure a 4-2 victory.

536632877_1201621105336539_943740261000794828_n — U23 Bangladesh lost two consecutive matches before heading to Vietnam (Photo: Save Bangladesh Football)

U23 Bangladesh is Vietnam U23’s first opponent in Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 qualifiers. The match between the two teams will take place at 19:00 on September 3 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho). According to plans, the South Asian team will arrive in Vietnam on August 30 to acclimate to the climate and playing conditions.

Regarding their training camp in Bahrain, assistant coach Atikur Rahman Mishu shared:“Playing two matches in Bahrain has provided us with valuable preparation for the game against Vietnam. Currently, we have 24 players, all of whom have had playing time. We thank the Bahrain Football Federation for giving us this opportunity.”

As for Vietnam U23, the entire team is expected to regroup on August 29 to prepare for the important matches. Playing on home soil will be a great motivation for coach Kim Sang Sik and his players as they aim to qualify by topping the group.

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