Coach Dinh Hong Vinh: Vietnam U23 Ready for Any Quarterfinal Foe at Asiad 2026

A scorching Nagoya evening. At Toyota Stadium, Vietnam U23 suffered a 0-2 defeat against Uzbekistan on Matchday 3 of Group C in the men's football tournament at the 2026 Asian Games. The first goal arrived as early as the 6th minute, when the defence had not yet adjusted to the opponent's tempo. It was an early shock that forced coach Dinh Hong Vinh to abandon his original plan. Yet when the final whistle blew, the young players did not collapse. Despite the defeat, Vietnam U23 still secured a place in the quarterfinals. Before the final round, Uzbekistan had already won all of their group matches, showing the class of a side that kept almost the same squad from the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. Vietnam U23, in contrast, entered the tournament with a short preparation period and a depleted squad, because many key players of this generation had been promoted to the senior national team. The loss did not cost the ticket to the knockout stage, but it exposed problems that could no longer be hidden: vulnerability in the opening minutes, injuries in central midfield, and a cohesion gap between the two teams. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh did not shy away. He praised Uzbekistan and admitted that the opponents played at a high tempo from the start. “The goal came from a moment of lack of concentration against a team that moves the ball very quickly,” he said in the press conference. It was not a cheap excuse but a precise description of a pattern visible throughout the tournament: Vietnam needed time to warm up, but continental-level opponents do not allow such time. After conceding, Vietnam gradually regained control of the ball. They pushed forward, combined well in midfield, and created some chances in the first half. But the ball did not go into the net. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh said that if they had equalised before halftime, the game could have been different. That is a hypothetical statement, difficult to verify. What is clearer is the real issue: their ability to exploit attacks in the final third was not sharp enough, and their tempo was sometimes too slow against an organised defence. Injuries made the story more complicated. Xuan Bac, the central midfielder regarded as the conductor of transition rhythm, was injured during the match against Uzbekistan. The coach confirmed that both starting central midfielders, Xuan Bac and Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong, could not continue. This meant the backbone of Vietnam's midfield was broken. Not just one link, but both players operating in the same key functional unit were unavailable. For a young team, depending so heavily on two players in the same positional unit is a major tactical risk. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh admitted that Xuan Bac's absence reduced the team's ability to control the rhythm of transitions. In other words, when winning or losing the ball, Vietnam no longer had the right player to keep the tempo when shifting from defence to attack. The team had already been forced to rotate personnel from match to match, but this time the rotation was not a choice; it was a necessity. And necessity is always the hardest situation to handle. Tactically, Vietnam played cautiously, choosing to defend in the middle third against a stronger opponent. This idea was not wrong, but it created a passive start. When a team begins with a waiting mentality, the spaces between the lines are wide, and the opponent's ball speed is much higher. Uzbekistan exploited exactly that space in a live-ball situation in the 6th minute. This is a familiar lesson for young teams at continental tournaments: being overly cautious is sometimes worse than pressing high. In the second half, Vietnam tried to adjust, but the Nagoya heat, which had been intense since September 13, took a toll on their fitness. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh mentioned the need to recover well for the quarterfinal. Three days is a short window. The final group match was played on September 22, and the quarterfinal is on September 25. In between, Vietnam must travel, recover, and prepare for an opponent that may be stronger than Uzbekistan on paper. Who will be the opponent? Group D still has a decisive match for first place between South Korea and Saudi Arabia. As a team likely finishing second or lower in their own group, Vietnam will almost certainly face one of these two. Both are among the title contenders at the 2026 Asian Games. South Korea have impressive physicality and tactical discipline. Saudi Arabia have technical young players and a strong record in Asian youth competitions. Neither is an easy draw. Instead of complaining, coach Dinh Hong Vinh chose a strong stance. He said whoever the opponent, the team would be ready. “The whole team is mentally ready,” he insisted. But the biggest question is not mentality. It is how Vietnam will set up without both first-choice central midfielders. Will they switch to a lower block and add an extra defensive midfielder? Will a centre-back move up to play as a holding midfielder? The coaching staff need to make a bold decision within the next 72 hours. One principle remains: tactics are what you use when the opponent thinks they have read you. If coach Dinh Hong Vinh keeps the same familiar structure, the knockout opponent will easily crack the code. But if he changes the shape, even with a small adjustment, it could make a decisive difference in a match where every detail matters. The absence of Xuan Bac and Quoc Cuong is a hidden crisis, but it is also a chance for a new player to step up and take responsibility in midfield. The heat in Nagoya is not an excuse. In continental competitions, weather conditions are always part of the game. However, the congested schedule — three group matches and a quarterfinal only three days later — is testing the physical limits of Vietnam's young squad. The coach stressed that the medical team would assess fitness before selecting the match squad. This shows a team in reactive mode. Instead of fielding a starting eleven based on preference, they must wait to see who is fit enough to play. What impressed me most was how coach Dinh Hong Vinh managed pressure. He did not blame the heat, did not criticise the referee, and did not complain about missing players. He praised Uzbekistan and said the opponent deserved to win. Then he turned to the spirit of his players: “I am satisfied with the attitude and fighting spirit of the players.” This is intelligent message management. When a team has just lost and lost two key players, an inexperienced coach could easily be dragged into a spiral of criticism. He is different. The satisfaction with spirit is understandable. Despite the defeat, the players kept running until the final minutes and continued to pressure Uzbekistan's goal. But having spirit is not the same as being strong enough. In the quarterfinal, the opponent will not allow Vietnam to have a whole first half just to adapt. If the team starts slowly again, conceding early is highly possible, and this time there will be no lifeline. It should be acknowledged that Vietnam U23 are in a rebuilding cycle. Many U23-age players have been promoted to the senior national team, so this squad is a mix of players from the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup and completely new faces. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh said that the new squad will also make great progress in the future. That may be true, but the immediate reality is that the team lacks the cohesion needed to compete with sides that have been together for a long time, like Uzbekistan. The difference between Uzbekistan and Vietnam is not only individual quality. Uzbekistan almost kept their team from the AFC U23 Asian Cup, so their combinations are almost automatic. Vietnam had a short preparation, were forced to rotate because of injuries, and lost the most important midfield players at the worst possible time. This cohesion gap becomes a rhythm gap. A team that understands each other passes faster, moves more intelligently, and reacts quicker when losing the ball. Uzbekistan showed all of that in the first half. Specific statistics such as shots or possession were not available in the report. But even without data, the tactical signals were clear. Vietnam controlled the ball reasonably well after going behind. They passed with more confidence and created some pressure. The problem was in the final action. The young forwards lacked sharpness in the box and were not decisive enough in front of goal. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh acknowledged this weakness directly. “I am not satisfied with the ability to exploit attacks in the final third,” he said. That statement matters more than any praise for spirit. It shows that the coaching staff know exactly what needs to be solved. But knowing the problem and fixing the problem are two different things. In three days, you cannot turn an inexperienced collective into clinical finishers. What they can do is change their approach: sit deeper, stay safe, wait for opponent mistakes, and punish them with quick counter-attacks. It may not be attractive football, but it may suit the current squad. Again, time is crucial. Vietnam U23 have only three days to prepare for the quarterfinal. In these three days, they must solve fitness issues under the heat that has persisted since September 13, find replacements for the two central midfielders, and build a practical tactical plan against a team that may be stronger than Uzbekistan. Too little time for too many tasks. In this situation, the most important thing is not to create a perfect plan, but to choose a clear direction and make the team believe in it. I have followed Vietnam U23 from the beginning of the tournament, and I see a repeating pattern. Against strong opponents, the team starts cautiously, concedes an early goal, then fights back but lacks time to equalise. This pattern is not accidental. It comes from the gap in speed and cohesion compared with the top teams. But it can be fixed if Vietnam start with pressing from the first minute instead of waiting. The question is whether coach Dinh Hong Vinh dares to take a risk with a young, energetic squad. Looking back at the Uzbekistan match, Vietnam U23 did not lose because of lack of effort. They lost because they started too slowly and finished too hurriedly. The first six minutes decided the match. Without that early goal, the game could have been different. But football has no “if.” Football only has decisions in every moment. In the quarterfinal, Vietnam will have very few such moments, and they must use them well. On the mental side, coach Dinh Hong Vinh has prepared his players well. His message is full of confidence. He said that regardless of the squad, when taking responsibility for the team, he is satisfied. This shows a coach who understands the generation he is working with. There is no point in placing too much pressure on players at this age. Let them play with confidence and desire. But high-level sport is not only about spirit. It is about the small details that make a difference. A slightly poor touch, a defensive position shifted by half a metre, a pass released one beat too late. All of these will be punished. Vietnam U23 must be as alert as possible. They need a sharp tactical plan, not an empty promise. From a technical point of view, I expect a structural adjustment. With both central midfielders unavailable, coach Dinh Hong Vinh may choose a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-3-3 with a more defensive-minded holding midfielder. This could reduce ball control but increase solidity in front of the box. When the opponent is superior, the first thing to do is not concede. Then counter-attacks using the speed of the wingers can become effective. This will be a major test of the coaching staff's ability to read the game. I do not think this is the time to talk about glory. With a young team that has just lost two pillars, under extreme heat and a congested schedule, the Asiad 2026 quarterfinal is not a place for dreaming. It is a place to test character, resilience, and adaptability. If Vietnam U23 can show those qualities, regardless of the result, it will be a step forward in the development of Vietnamese youth football. Fans may be disappointed by the loss to Uzbekistan, but they should look at the bigger picture. This generation is being forged through real challenges. They are not only playing Southeast Asian teams; they are facing some of the best youth football nations in Asia. Matches like this, even when lost, are more valuable than many wins against weak sides. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh understands that. He is looking beyond a single quarterfinal. September 25 is the next milestone. Vietnam U23 will step onto the pitch believing they can surprise. The opponent may be South Korea, may be Saudi Arabia. Whoever it is, the match will be incredibly difficult. But football always has fairytale stories. And young teams, full of energy and fearlessness, are sometimes the authors of those stories. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh has said what he needed to say. Now his players must answer on the pitch. Can they stay focused in the opening minutes? Can they find the rhythm without their two main central midfielders? Can they sustain pressing for 90 minutes under the Nagoya heat? These questions can only be answered when the referee blows the whistle. For me, this is a reminder of a football principle: what is called mentality is actually the result of a thousand repetitions in training. There is no mentality without process. Vietnam U23 may not be complete, but they are gradually accumulating the necessary experience. The Asiad 2026 quarterfinal, whatever the outcome, will be part of that process. The preparation of coach Dinh Hong Vinh and his staff will be tested. If they help the team avoid a slow start, if they find a reasonable solution in midfield, if they manage fitness wisely, Vietnam U23 can create a surprise. Youth football always contains unexpected possibilities, and that is why fans love it. That Nagoya night, Vietnam U23 left the pitch with a defeat, but not with despair. They had a quarterfinal ticket, and more importantly, a promise from their coach: the team would be ready, no matter who the opponent was. That promise has now been sent to South Korea and Saudi Arabia. On September 25, everything will be answered.