Asian U23 semi-final: Vietnam U23 faces the challenge of deciphering China's defense.
With their perfect winning record and explosive attack, Coach Kim Sang-sik's U23 Vietnam team will face the unbeaten defense of U23 China in the semi-finals.
The semi-final match between Vietnam U23 and China U23, taking place at 10:30 PM tonight (January 20th), is considered by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to be a clash of two extremes: a flourishing attack and a solid defense. This is the first time the two teams have met in the U23 Asian Championship, promising a tense tactical battle for a place in the final.
The attacking power of the Vietnam U23 team under coach Kim Sang-sik.
Vietnam U23 entered the semi-finals in impressive form, maintaining a streak of four consecutive wins. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team scored 8 goals, a number equal to the total number of wins in the previous five tournaments combined, replicating the goal-scoring performance of the Changzhou generation in 2018.
The AFC has highlighted Vietnam U23's greatest strength as their ability to transition quickly between attacking and defensive phases. Even their opposing coach, Antonio Puche, admitted that this style of play is the biggest threat China U23 faces. The brilliance of the Vietnamese strikers will be a tough test for the opposing defense.
The "concrete" defense and goalkeeper Li Hao's record.
In contrast to Vietnam's attacking style, the Chinese U23 team advanced to the semi-finals thanks to their pragmatism and resilience. They are the only team in this year's tournament that has not conceded a single goal after 4 matches. The most important "stopper" in this system is goalkeeper Li Hao.
According to AFC statistics, Li Hao has made 24 saves, setting a record in the last four tournaments. Notably, the goalkeeper has achieved a 100% save rate on shots on target since the beginning of the tournament. This is the biggest challenge that Vietnamese strikers need to overcome if they want to reach the final.
The aerial battle and the decisive moment.
Besides the on-field battle, aerial duels are also a key factor in deciding the match. Vietnam U23 boasts a central defensive pairing of Nguyen Hieu Minh and Pham Ly Duc, who have made a combined 38 aerial clearances, leading the tournament in defensive statistics. However, they will have to contain Peng Xiao of China, who has already won 23 aerial duels.
The AFC believes that in a crucial and tactically balanced match, composure and moments of individual brilliance will be key. The match, taking place at 10:30 PM on January 20th, will determine whether Vietnam's explosive attack or China's solid defense will ultimately prevail.
