South Korea Falls to 10-Man Vietnam, Clinches 4th in Asian U-23 Tournament

In a thrilling conclusion to the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, South Korea faced off against Vietnam for third place at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The match took place on January 23 and concluded dramatically with Vietnam emerging victorious despite being reduced to 10 men.

Match Overview

South Korea, led by coach Lee Min-sung, finished fourth after a nail-biting penalty shootout that ended 7-6 in favor of Vietnam. The match was tied at 2-2 after 90 minutes of regulation and an additional 30 minutes of extra time.

Key Events

• First Half: Vietnam’s Nguyen Quoc Viet opened the scoring in the 30th minute.
• 69th Minute: South Korea’s Kim Tae-won equalized the score.
• 71st Minute: Vietnam quickly regained the lead with a goal from Nguyen Dinh Bac.
• 86th Minute: Nguyen Dinh Bac received a direct red card.
• Stoppage Time: Shin Min-ha equalized for South Korea, forcing extra time.

Penalty Shootout

The shootout saw both teams convert their first six kicks. However, Vietnam’s Cao Van Binh denied Bae Hyun-seo’s attempt, allowing Nguyen Thanh Nhan to score the decisive penalty, clinching victory for Vietnam.

Statistics

Coaches’ Reactions

After the match, Coach Lee acknowledged areas for improvement in his squad as they aim for gold in the upcoming Asian Games. He noted the need for better composure and technical skills when facing defenses, especially when opponent players are sent off.

Vietnam’s coach, Kim Sang-sik, praised his players’ resilience under pressure. He expressed pride in their performance and confidence that this match would foster their growth.

Historical Context

This match marks Vietnam’s best performance in the U-23 Asian Cup since they were runners-up in 2018. South Korea will aim to regroup and refine their strategies as they move forward in the international football scene.