Cao Van Binh transforms into Spider-Man: 10 crucial saves lead Vietnam U23 to victory over South Korea U23.
Goalkeeper Cao Văn Bình set a record with 10 saves and blocked the decisive penalty shootout, helping Vietnam U23 defeat South Korea U23 to win third place at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
On a magical night in Saudi Arabia, goalkeeper Cao Van Binh transformed the third-place match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship into his own personal stage. With 120 minutes of outstanding play and steely resolve in the penalty shootout, the 2005-born goalkeeper not only helped Vietnam U23 defeat formidable South Korea U23 but also affirmed his status as a new generation "spider-man."
A bold personnel change.
Entering the final match of the tournament, coach Kim Sang-sik surprised everyone by making a personnel revolution with 9 changes to the starting lineup. Most notably, Cao Van Binh was given the opportunity to start in goal, replacing Tran Trung Kien. Although not as tall as his teammate (Van Binh is 1.83m), the goalkeeper from Song Lam Nghe An immediately proved his worth.
From the very first minutes, Van Binh had to work hard under pressure from the South Korean team. In the 26th minute, he made an excellent save after a powerful shot from the number 12 of South Korea, signaling a busy but also glorious day for the young goalkeeper.
120 minutes of unwavering determination and a record-breaking save.
The match was incredibly dramatic, with Vietnam U23 twice taking the lead thanks to goals from Quoc Viet and Dinh Bac. However, the turning point came in the 86th minute when Dinh Bac received a red card, leaving his team with ten men. In this critical situation, Cao Van Binh proved to be the most reliable anchor for his teammates to hold on.
According to statistics from Soccerway, Cao Van Binh made a total of 10 saves during the 120 minutes of play. This is a record number for a Vietnamese goalkeeper when facing top teams in the continent. His close-range reflexes and ability to anticipate the ball's trajectory frustrated strikers like Kim Tae-won and Shin Min-ha. With this incredible performance, Van Binh was awarded 8.9 points - the highest score of the match.
Showing courage in the fateful penalty shootout.
In the tense penalty shootout, the composure of the young man from Dien Chau proved invaluable. After six successful penalties from both teams, in the fateful seventh round, Cao Van Binh accurately predicted the direction of the ball and successfully saved Bae Hyun-seo's shot.
Sharing his thoughts on the heroic moment, Van Binh said:"The coaching staff and goalkeeping coach shared a lot of information about how the South Korean U23 players take penalties. In the final penalty shootout, I looked into the opponent's eyes, and when I saw him glance to the right corner, I immediately raised my hand quickly to anticipate his move."This victory not only brought home a valuable bronze medal but also affirmed the capabilities of the young generation of Vietnamese players.
A bright future awaits the next generation of "Spider-Man."
The victory against South Korea U23 became a sweet farewell for the generation of Khuất Văn Khang, Thái Sơn, Quốc Việt... wearing the U23 jersey. For Cao Văn Bình, this was the beginning of a bigger journey. With the experience of winning a gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games and his remarkable maturity at the continental level, he is expected to soon become a key player for the Vietnamese national team.
Exceptional reflexes, a solid playing style, and especially composure in big matches are rare qualities that Van Binh possesses. After this memorable performance, fans can have complete faith in a solid "steel wall" named Cao Van Binh in goal for Vietnamese football in the coming years.
