Vietnam’s U23 side ended their 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup campaign on a high, defeating South Korea U23 on penalties in a thrilling third-place playoff in Jeddah.
The match finished 2-2 after regulation time and extra time, following a rollercoaster contest that saw Vietnam twice take the lead before being pegged back late on.
Nguyen Quoc Viet opened the scoring in the first half, with South Korea equalising after the break. Vietnam responded almost immediately through Nguyen Dinh Bac, whose superb free kick restored the lead, before South Korea struck again in the closing seconds to force extra time.
Reduced to ten men late on after Dinh Bac was sent off, Vietnam held firm under sustained pressure and took the contest to penalties, where goalkeeper Cao Van Binh emerged as the hero. Binh saved South Korea’s seventh spot kick, before Nguyen Thanh Nhan calmly converted to seal a 7-6 shootout victory and secure the bronze medal.
The result marks one of Vietnam’s strongest finishes at continental U23 level, and their first-ever win over South Korea U23, underlining the steady rise of Vietnamese football on the Asian stage.
Photo courtesy of the AFC.
