2026 AFC U23 Championship: U23 Vietnam remains unbeaten after two matches

Before kickoff, history was not on U23 Vietnam’s side, as Vietnamese youth teams had never defeated Central Asian representatives in the AFC U23 Championship finals. In the two previous encounters with Uzbekistan, Vietnam lost both times, including the heartbreaking 2018 final in Changzhou and a 0-3 defeat in the group stage of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship.

However, Kyrgyzstan was not an overwhelmingly superior opponent. The Central Asian side was missing their key striker due to suspension and had a modest international record. This gave Coach Kim Sang Sik’s team a solid reason to aim at breaking the pattern.

In head-to-head terms, U23 Vietnam held some advantage. At the 2014 Asian Games, the Vietnam Olympic team defeated Kyrgyzstan 1-0. Including friendly matches, U23 Vietnam remained unbeaten against this opponent in the last three meetings (2 wins, 1 draw – lost on penalties). Nevertheless, Kyrgyzstan started confidently. In the first 15 minutes, they played with assurance and had two shots on goal against goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên but lacked accuracy.

After a probing period, U23 Vietnam suddenly accelerated. In the 14th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to the red-shirted team after a Kyrgyz defender handled the ball inside the box against Lê Phát. From the spot, Khuất Văn Khang calmly converted to put his team ahead. With the lead, U23 Vietnam played with enthusiasm. Văn Khang tried his luck again with a long-range left-foot shot but was denied by goalkeeper Nurlanbekov.

In the 36th minute, Xuân Bắc unleashed a shot from just outside the 16.5-meter line, but the ball narrowly missed the post. When the match was fully controlled by U23 Vietnam, an unexpected mistake occurred in the 44th minute. Following a poor pass from Hiểu Minh, Marlen Murzakhmatov found space to unleash a powerful long-range shot, leveling the score at 1-1 for Kyrgyzstan. U23 Vietnam’s defense failed to close down quickly enough. The first half ended with disappointment for the red team, unable to maintain their lead.

In the second half, U23 Vietnam pushed forward. Lê Phát and Thái Sơn had consecutive chances but failed to convert. In the 63rd minute, Coach Kim Sang Sik introduced three attacking players—Đình Bắc, Quốc Cường, and Văn Thuận—to increase pressure. This adjustment quickly paid off. Văn Thuận was energetic, constantly disturbing Kyrgyzstan’s defense. In the 78th minute, he broke into the penalty area and fell after a clash with captain Datsiev. VAR was consulted, but the referee ruled no penalty.

The 2-1 scoreline held until the final whistle. The match ended in ecstatic joy for U23 Vietnam and tears for the Kyrgyz players. U23 Vietnam achieved their first-ever win against a Central Asian team and are likely to qualify early from the group stage, while Kyrgyzstan became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament in Saudi Arabia.