U23 Vietnam, 'victory without fighting'

The final match of Group C ended with surprising results when U23 Saudi Arabia and U23 Thailand both lost to U23 Iraq and U23 Tajikistan. Accordingly, U23 Iraq took the No. 1 position and pushed U23 Saudi Arabia to the second position of Group C.

Despite losing to U23 Iraq (1-2), U23 Saudi Arabia is still considered by experts to be the strongest team in this group. The defeat to U23 Iraq does not affect the position of coach Saad Al-Shehri and his team as a strong candidate for the championship.

Therefore, both U23 Vietnam and U23 Uzbekistan want to meet U23 Iraq more than U23 Saudi Arabia in the next round. What coach Radhi Shenaishil and his team have shown in the last 3 matches is not too impressive, especially in the 0-2 loss to U23 Thailand.

As long as they "don't defeat" U23 Uzbekistan in the match taking place at 10:30 p.m. today, U23 Vietnam will join U23 Iraq to form the 4th quarter-final pair. With a task "as easy as taking candy from a bag", coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team have no reason not to complete it.

There is a saying: "Avoiding an elephant is not a shame". For the goal of going far in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup, specifically a ticket to the Paris Olympics held next summer, the U23 Vietnam Coaching Board must carefully calculate every step. And knowing how to choose the right opponent is also a way to succeed.

Therefore, it is almost certain that in the match against U23 Uzbekistan, coach Hoang Anh Tuan will field a squad with mostly reserve players. This is the best opportunity for the key players to rest and prepare for the difficult journey ahead.

From a passive position in avoiding a clash with U23 Saudi Arabia, the defending champion, coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team suddenly took the initiative. It is truly a case of "winning without fighting". Hopefully, U23 Vietnam will create a miracle in Qatar./.