UAE U23 fans: "Besides Japan and Vietnam, which team can survive?"; MU's tactical move to stop Erling Haaland
Following the defeat against Vietnam U23, on the UAE Football Association's Instagram page, fans quickly left comments such as "Besides Japan and Vietnam, which team can survive?"; MU has made a move to relieve the pressure from goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland in the Manchester derby... These are some of the prominent sports news stories in the past 24 hours.
UAE U23 fans: "Besides Japan and Vietnam, which team can survive?"
Following the dramatic second quarter-final match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship between Vietnam U23 and UAE U23, which featured an exciting back-and-forth battle for 120 minutes.
On the UAE Football Association's Instagram page, fans quickly left comments saying, "Besides Japan and Vietnam, which other teams can survive?"
Meanwhile, many other comments expressed criticism, remarking on the UAE players as a team that "couldn't run, played disjointedly, or had a defense that made many mistakes."
They even compared the ease with which the Vietnam U23 team scored goals to the complexity made by the UAE U23 players. Some fans even questioned, "Can Vietnam beat the remaining teams?"
The victory against UAE showed that the Vietnam U23 team entered the competition with a completely different mindset under coach Kim Sang-sik: confident, proactive, and ready to face strong Asian teams. With the second ticket to the semi-finals, Vietnam U23 will await their opponent, the winner of the match between Uzbekistan U23 and China U23.
Japan U23 defeated Jordan U23 in a penalty shootout.
MatchThe U23 Japan vs. U23 Jordan match in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship took place at 6:30 PM yesterday, January 16th. After demonstrating overwhelming strength with a perfect record in the group stage, U23 Japan faced a tough challenge against U23 Jordan. However, the defending champions showed their mettle at the right moment to secure their place in the semi-finals.
The 1-1 draw after two halves forced the two teams into extra time, followed by a penalty shootout. Taha missed his penalty in the first round for U23 Jordan. The U23 Japan goalkeeper saved the penalty in the fourth round, after his teammates successfully converted all four of their penalties. U23 Japan advanced to the semi-finals.
The U23 Japan vs. U23 Jordan match in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship takes place at 6:30 PM today, January 16th. After demonstrating overwhelming strength with a perfect record in the group stage, U23 Japan faces a tough challenge against U23 Jordan. However, the defending champions still showed their mettle at the right moment to secure their place in the semi-finals.
Michael Carrick and the Harry Maguire dilemma: A tactical move to stop Erling Haaland.
Under pressure from goalscoring machine Erling Haaland in the Manchester derby, Michael Carrick needed the experience and composure of Harry Maguire to bolster Manchester United's defense.
With Manchester City boasting a formidable attacking force thanks to the addition of Antoine Semenyo alongside Haaland, Manchester United's defense has become more vulnerable than ever. Young options like Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro pose significant concerns. While Heaven just endured a nightmare defeat against Burnley, the expensive signing Yoro is losing confidence with his form hitting rock bottom.
The Manchester Derby is not a place for experimentation or helping players rediscover their form. In a match demanding absolute concentration, any inexperience will be costly. With Lisandro Martinez almost certainly securing a starting spot thanks to his consistency, the question is who will have the maturity and experience to partner the Argentinian star.
Vietnam U23 team will receive a total of 3.1 billion VND for reaching the semi-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan congratulated the Vietnam U23 team on their outstanding performance and qualification for the semi-finals, and also awarded them a motivational bonus of 1.2 billion VND.
Previously, the VFF awarded the team 1.9 billion VND after three wins in the group stage. In total, to date, the coaching staff and players of the Vietnam U23 team have received 3.1 billion VND for their impressive results at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
Chairman Tran Quoc Tuan shared: "I am very happy with the excellent performance of the Vietnam U23 team."
Immediately after the victory against the UAE U23 team in the quarterfinals, the President of the Vietnam Football Federation, Tran Quoc Tuan, on behalf of the Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Football Federation, congratulated the entire Vietnam U23 team.
