Winning a thrilling victory over host Indonesia, Vietnam won the U23 Southeast Asian Championship for the third consecutive time.

The final match took place in a context where both teams were carrying high determination. U23 Vietnam had won this tournament twice in a row and wanted to affirm their position as the number one team in the region. Meanwhile, U23 Indonesia played at home with the cheers of tens of thousands of spectators and the desire to take revenge after the bitter defeat against Vietnam in the final a year ago.

The journey of U23 Vietnam to the final this year showed stability and maturity through each match. The red team successively defeated U23 Laos with a score of 3-0, then defeated U23 Cambodia 2-1 to win the right to enter the semi-finals to meet U23 Philippines. The semi-final match was not easy, but the students of coach Kim Sang Sik showed their mettle at the right time with a 2-1 victory to advance to the final.

Meanwhile, U23 Indonesia started the tournament with a resounding 8-0 victory over Brunei, and continued to overcome U23 Philippines before drawing U23 Malaysia to top the group. The semi-final match against U23 Thailand was a real test for the team from the archipelago, as they had to rely on a penalty shootout to secure a ticket to the final.

Returning to the match, U23 Indonesia entered the match with excitement, taking advantage of the home field and launching an attacking game from the start. However, Vietnam's defense played tightly and calmly. Despite being forced to play for most of the first half, U23 Vietnam was the team that took advantage of the opportunities better. In the 36th minute, from a chaotic situation in the penalty area after a corner kick, the ball found Cong Phuong's feet and this player decisively kicked the ball into the far corner, opening the score 1-0 for Vietnam.

After the goal, U23 Vietnam played more tightly and organized sharp counter-attacks. The attacks of Xuan Bac and Dinh Bac made the Indonesian defense constantly unstable. Meanwhile, Indonesia continued to push up their formation to find an equalizer but had difficulty against a well-organized defense and the excellence of goalkeeper Trung Kien.

In the second half, the game did not change much. U23 Indonesia continued to control the ball and speed up the match. They used high balls and strong throw-ins frequently to penetrate the Vietnamese defense. However, with the concentration and effective support from the back lines, the red shirt defenders neutralized most of the home team's attacks.

In the 68th minute, coach Kim Sang Sik made important tactical adjustments when he sent Van Thuan and Viktor Le onto the field to replace Van Khang and Cong Phuong. This change helped the red team increase their ability to block in the midfield and maintain the tempo of the match. The Vietnamese players played proactively, slowing down the tempo to reduce pressure and preserve the score.

The final minutes of the match became breathless when U23 Indonesia tried their best to attack. Trung Kien continued to be the mainstay with solid ball-catching moves. U23 Vietnam maintained the fragile gap and when the final whistle blew, the red-shirted players officially completed the hat-trick of winning the U23 Southeast Asian Championship, after winning the title in 2022 and 2023.

The victory at Gelora Bung Karno not only helped U23 Vietnam affirm its position as the number one team in the region, but also was a strong response to the pressure of away matches and fierce competition from the opponent. The final match was a testament to the modern, disciplined playing style and brave fighting spirit of the young players.

The third consecutive championship at the U23 Southeast Asian tournament continues to affirm the strong development of Vietnamese youth football, opening up hope for the next generations and being a great source of encouragement for localities in training football talents.