Vietnam U23 team arrives in Saudi Arabia: Defender Hieu Minh aims to defeat Jordan.

The Vietnam U23 team officially arrived in Saudi Arabia after a two-hour flight on the afternoon of January 2nd, beginning the final preparation phase for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship. Immediately after settling into their hotel in Jeddah, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team held their first training session to acclimatize to the pitch conditions and the Gulf climate.

Rapid adaptation in Jeddah

Despite having to play away from home, the young players' morale is very high. Sharing about living conditions in the host country, PVF-CAND's central defender Hieu Minh said that the whole team did not encounter too many difficulties in adapting."This is my first time in Saudi Arabia, and I find the air here very pleasant. The current weather is quite similar to Thailand, so we adapted quickly and didn't feel uncomfortable."Hieu Minh shared.

Besides the weather, nutrition and daily routines are also given special attention by the coaching staff. According to Hieu Minh, although the continuous use of air conditioning or differences in diet may cause minor inconveniences, as professional players, the entire team is striving to adjust to ensure the best physical condition for this important tournament.

Tactics for confronting the West Asian "giants"

In Group A, the Vietnam U23 team will face formidable challenges including hosts Saudi Arabia U23, Jordan U23, and the unknown quantity Kyrgyzstan U23. In particular, West Asian teams are known for their physical strength and muscle power.

However, the Vietnamese U23 defense appeared very confident. Hieu Minh commented:"The West Asian players have good physique and stamina, but the Vietnam U23 team is not too small compared to their opponents. Facing top teams in the continent, the whole team must maintain high concentration in every training session."

The goal is to score 3 points and keep a clean sheet.

The opening match against U23 Jordan on January 6th is considered a crucial turning point for coach Kim Sang Sik's team's ambitions to advance. Their opponents, Jordan, also arrived in Saudi Arabia on the same day, ready for this encounter.

Setting specific goals for the opening match, center-back Hieu Minh affirmed:"The Vietnam U23 team aims to win their first match against Jordan. My personal goal, and that of the defense, is to keep a clean sheet."This is a strong statement demonstrating the thorough psychological preparation of the young players before entering the continent's most prestigious U23 tournament.