Coach Kim Sang Sik reveals the 'key' to U23 Vietnam's victory in their opening match

At the post-match press conference, the Korean strategist mentioned that the harsh weather conditions posed a significant challenge for the players. “The weather was very hot, and the whole team faced many difficulties. In the second half, the game became tougher, but the players maintained discipline to achieve an excellent result. I want to thank the entire team,” said Kim Sang Sik.

He also explained that during the pre-tournament training sessions, the team focused especially on set-piece scenarios. “We practiced set pieces very thoroughly. The players concentrated intensely to apply these in the actual matches and score goals. This had been demonstrated in previous tournaments, and today the team continued to perform well,” the Korean coach proudly stated about his squad.

The 48-year-old coach confirmed that U23 Vietnam will quickly shift focus to the next match against U23 Kyrgyzstan: “The whole team needs to prepare well, helping players recover physically and be fully ready for the upcoming game. After that, based on the result against Kyrgyzstan, we will plan our objectives and strategies for the match against U23 Saudi Arabia.”

Regarding the squad situation, Coach Kim Sang Sik said the coaching staff will further assess Xuân Bắc’s condition after the team returns to the hotel. He explained the substitution decision during the match: “Phi Hoàng and Văn Khang exerted a lot of effort and became exhausted, so we had to put defender Đức Anh in as left-back. Đức Anh fulfilled his role well. All players, whether starters or substitutes, performed strongly.”

Coach Kim Sang Sik admitted that injuries are a common challenge for U23 Vietnam in the tournament but affirmed that the team has prepared depth in the squad. “In any position, we have players ready to step in and capable of fulfilling the responsibilities,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, forward Nguyễn Đình Bắc, who scored the opening goal, shared: “Scoring the first goal of the tournament gave me an amazing feeling. This victory comes from the team’s thorough preparation. I thank the coaching staff and my teammates for their support.”

Center-back Hiểu Minh — the man of the match — stated that U23 Vietnam clearly understood the tough nature of Group A. Hiểu Minh affirmed: “The coach set the goal for us to win every game to advance past the group stage. The defense was focused, and goalkeeper Trung Kiên kept a clean sheet at the crucial moments. We are happy with the win, but we need to quickly turn our attention to the next match and maintain concentration.”