VOV.VN - Vietnam has drawn widespread international praise after opening their AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over Jordan on January 5, a result that surprised regional media and placed Vietnam at the top of Group A.

VOV.VN - Defending champions Thailand are set to take on Vietnam in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Cup’s final round following their 3-0 thrashing of Malaysia on January 10 in the semi-final match played in Bangkok.

ESPN ran a front-page story headlined “Vietnam retain Southeast Asian Games gold medal against Thailand to prove they are still force to be reckoned with,” saying “even at the simplest level, it was a victory with plenty of significance.”

VOV.VN - Media outlet Siam Sport of Thailand have praised the Vietnamese team's impressive victory over Indonesia, especially noting two goals scored by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai players, Cong Phuong and Van Thanh.