Head coach Kim Sang-sik suffered a major setback on January 4 when striker Bui Vi Hao was forced to withdraw from a training session in Saudi Arabia after showing signs of a recurring knee ligament injury. The striker left the pitch in visible pain, raising doubts over his availability for the tournament opener.

The injury comes at a particularly difficult time for U23 Vietnam, as another important attacking option, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, is also racing against time to recover. Thanh Nhan had earlier sustained an injury that has already ruled him out of full training, significantly weakening Vietnam’s offensive depth.

With experience from the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup, Vi Hao was expected to play a central role alongside Nguyen Dinh Bac and Khuat Van Khang in what was projected to be Vietnam’s most effective attacking trio at the 2026 continental finals. Thanh Nhan, meanwhile, is viewed as a strategic ‘impact substitute’ capable of changing the tempo of matches with his pace and off-the-ball movement.

The potential absence of both strikers has complicated Vietnam’s objective of securing points in their opening Group A match against Jordan on January 6, a fixture widely regarded as pivotal to their qualification hopes.

Although the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has already announced the official squad list, with striker Le Phat the only confirmed omission, head coach Kim Sang-sik is still permitted to make last-minute changes should the medical situation of key players deteriorate.

The AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 features 16 teams from Asia’s strongest footballing nations, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Hosting duties in Saudi Arabia also present additional challenges, particularly the demanding climate and high temperatures.

Drawn into Group A alongside hosts Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam face a highly competitive group in which every match could prove decisive. The opening fixture against Jordan is especially critical, as the Middle Eastern side have shown strong preparation form, including a draw with Japan, a win over Syria and an unbeaten run against the UAE throughout 2025.

Despite the challenges, Vietnam do not enter the tournament empty-handed. A long preparation cycle, spanning the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship, the Panda Cup in China, and most recently SEA Games 33, has helped the team accumulate valuable experience.

Draws against Uzbekistan and RoK, as well as a victory over China, have underlined the team’s growing composure on the international stage. Most notably, the SEA Games 33 gold medal is viewed as a significant psychological boost for coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad.

AFC rates Vietnam U23 highly ahead of U23 Asian Cup 2026

VOV.VN - Vietnam U23 enter the U23 Asian Cup 2026 with growing expectations, having won the gold medal at the SEA Games 33 and returned to training after only a brief break to prepare for Vietnam football’s first major tournament of 2026.