Coach Kim Sang-sik: 'I am proud of the Vietnam U23 team'

On the evening of July 29th, at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Indonesia, the Vietnam U23 team secured a 1-0 victory against the host team, Indonesia U23, thus successfully defending their Southeast Asian U23 Championship title. The only goal of the match was scored by midfielder Cong Phuong. This victory helps Vietnam U23 complete a hat-trick of regional titles, winning the championship three times in a row in 2022, 2023, and 2025.

After the match, head coach Kim Sang-sik couldn't hide his happiness. He shared: "I feel extremely happy that the Vietnam U23 team won against the Indonesia U23 team. This is the third consecutive time we have won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship, a proud achievement."

The players showed unwavering determination, never giving up and fighting until the very last seconds. Congratulations to the whole team, congratulations to the fans! I am truly proud of our players. Even though the majority of the stands were Indonesian fans, the players maintained their focus and courageous fighting spirit."

One detail that caught the attention of many fans was the arrangement of water bottles along the sidelines by the Vietnam U23 coaching staff. Many speculated that this was a way to limit the opposing team's run-up when taking throw-ins. However, coach Kim Sang-sik denied this, stating, "The weather is very hot; we arranged the water bottles like that so the players could drink water, not for any other purpose."

From a professional standpoint, the South Korean coach praised the team's fighting spirit, while frankly pointing out the limitations in the attack: "In difficult away matches, the players couldn't create many opportunities. However, we defended with all our might to maintain the one-goal lead."

The victory at Gelora Bung Karno not only brought glory to Vietnamese football but also marked a special milestone in Kim Sang-sik's coaching career. He became the first coach in the history of Vietnamese football to win two championships away from home, against the home teams in the finals. Prior to that, at the 2024 AFF Cup, the Vietnamese national team also came from behind to defeat Thailand 3-2 at Rajamangala Stadium to win the regional championship.

Looking ahead, the Vietnam U23 team will continue their quest to conquer the U23 Asian Championship qualifiers in September and the SEA Games 33 next year. Coach Kim Sang-sik expects: "I want the players to improve their match experience and skills after this tournament. The two upcoming tournaments are very important. I want them to perform even better."

This victory not only affirms the number one position of the Vietnam U23 team in Southeast Asia, but also continues to inspire pride among fans nationwide.