Korean media shocked by Vietnam's victory with 10 players, calling it a "disaster," Asia bows in admiration.

Vietnam's nail-biting victory over South Korea in the third-place match of the AFC U23 Asian Championship created a real sensation in the South Korean media. Korean newspapers are still reeling from the shock.

Last night, at the Jeddah stadium, coach Kim Sang Sik's team not only won the bronze medal but also rewrote their head-to-head history, defeating South Korea U23 for the first time after six previous encounters that ended in draws or losses.

Immediately after the match, numerous South Korean newspapers expressed their shock. Sport Khan ran a bitter headline: "A huge shock. A tragedy for the South Korean U23 team." The article described this defeat as an indelible "scar" in the history of South Korean youth football. The author emphasized that this was the first time the South Korean U23 team had been defeated by the Vietnamese U23 team, calling the loss a "disaster in Jeddah," especially considering that the South Korean team played with a man advantage throughout extra time.

The newspaper MT also couldn't hide its disappointment, using the word "disaster" to describe the team's outcome. According to the newspaper, the defeat against Vietnam U23 was an unacceptable shock, bringing to a close a forgettable tournament for South Korea U23. Prior to that, they had lost to Uzbekistan U23 and Japan U23, showing a clear decline in form. MT even commented sarcastically that the fact that the Olympics weren't held this year was "a blessing," because with their current performance, it's hard to believe South Korea U23 can make an impact on the world stage.

Meanwhile, the Chosun newspaper focused on tactical and personnel factors, with the headline: "Coach Lee Min Sung and the South Korean U23 team failed against the magic of Coach Kim Sang Sik." The article praised Coach Kim Sang Sik as a "wizard," continuing to create miracles for Vietnamese football, in stark contrast to Coach Lee Min Sung – who is considered to have added another dark chapter to his coaching career.

Chosun also pointed out that the South Korean U23 team was disappointing throughout the tournament. They only had one win, one draw, and one loss in the group stage, before being overwhelmed by Japan in the semi-finals, ending their six-year wait for the championship. Even when entering the third-place match with the goal of "finishing the tournament with honor," the team still couldn't overcome Vietnam's U23 team.

Regarding the Vietnamese U23 team, South Korean media acknowledged that all past head-to-head statistics were meaningless. Under the guidance of coach Kim Sang Sik, the Vietnamese U23 team won all their group stage matches, defeated the UAE to reach the semi-finals, and consistently displayed the image of a disciplined and determined team. Although they couldn't reach the final, the victory against South Korea affirmed the new status of Vietnamese youth football in the continent.

In conclusion, many South Korean newspapers are concerned that this could be the weakest U23 team in the country's history, raising worries about their goal of defending their Asian Games title in Japan. Meanwhile, for the Vietnamese U23 team, this historic victory is not only significant as a medal, but also a strong affirmation: they are ready to challenge the "giants" of Asian football.

China's U23 team reveals their "secret" to beating Vietnam's U23 team, leaving all of Asia astonished. Mai Hoa09:59:37 21/01/2026Undeniably, throughout the semi-final match, the Chinese U23 team dominated the Vietnamese U23 team, and what was bound to happen did happen: the 3-0 victory for China stunned not only Vietnam but all of Asia.