South Korean media drastically change their tune, showering praise on the Chinese U23 team and mocking Coach Kim's "magic."

Coach Kim Sang-sik's apology was overshadowed by a storm of sarcasm from his home media, as South Korean newspapers unanimously reversed course and praised the Chinese U23 team as even better than the South Korean team.

The captain's apology and the acknowledgment of reality.

Immediately after the final whistle, coach Kim Sang-sik appeared in the press conference room with a somber expression. Without blaming the circumstances or himself, the South Korean strategist began with a sincere apology: "I am saddened and deeply sorry that the Vietnam U23 team could not win. Thank you to the players who gave their all and to the fans who cheered until the very last minute."

Coach Kim admitted that his team was surprised by their opponent's style of play from the first half. The remarkable progress of Chinese football and their impenetrable defense were something the Vietnamese U23 coaching staff had not anticipated. Nevertheless, he affirmed a strong message: "Even though we couldn't reach the final, we proved that the Vietnamese U23 team is capable of competing on equal footing with the top forces in the continent."

A shock from the "strangest team in the tournament"

While Vietnam is expressing regret, the South Korean and Chinese media are going wild over the miraculous achievement of coach Antonio Puche's team. Xportsnews (South Korea) didn't hesitate to say: "Kim Sang-sik's magic team suffered a crushing 0-3 defeat against China's U23 team! Chinese football is going crazy! Even better than South Korea..."

China's U23 team is considered a "peculiar dark horse" in this year's tournament. The statistics speak for themselves: they reached the semi-finals after four matches, scoring only one goal, yet boasting an impenetrable defense with five consecutive clean sheets. After defeating title contender Uzbekistan in the quarter-finals via penalty shootout, they continued to demonstrate a terrifyingly pragmatic approach to beat Vietnam. This victory not only secured a place in the final but also served as a much-needed respite from the recent string of failures for Chinese football in the World Cup qualifiers.

A brilliant first half followed by a "collapse" in the 15 minutes.

Analyzing the game in more detail, OSEN praised the Vietnamese U23 team's approach. Throughout the first 45 minutes, the red-shirted players displayed disciplined football and extremely well-organized defense, leaving China completely ineffective despite their superior possession. Statistics even showed that Vietnam had more shots on target in the first half.

However, football is always cruel. The turning point came at the beginning of the second half from a set piece. Two quick goals in just a few minutes ruined all of coach Kim Sang-sik's tactical plans. With morale already wavering, Li De's disastrous red card was the decisive blow, shattering any hope of a comeback. China U23 took full advantage of their numerical superiority to seal a 3-0 victory, officially securing their place in the final against Japan.

When "miracles" aren't just about the scoreline.

Despite the heavy defeat, Kyunghyang Sports newspaper argued that this was not a collapse. They called it a moment when "Kim Sang-sik's miracle temporarily paused" to prepare for a new cycle. Bringing a team composed of many young players with little international experience back to the top four in Asia after an eight-year wait was already a proud achievement.

The Vietnam U23 team still has an important task ahead: the third-place match against South Korea U23. This is not just a match for the bronze medal, but also an opportunity for coach Kim Sang-sik to face his home country's team and affirm the position of Vietnamese football. The "miracle" may have stopped at the semi-finals, but the journey of this generation of players will certainly go further.

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