U23 Vietnam wins ticket to Asian finals: Shared joy and personal sadness of Song Lam Nghe An

With a 1-0 victory over U23 Yemen,Vietnam U23 Teamhas officially qualified for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship in Saudi Arabia. A completely deserved result after the convincing performances of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team in the qualifying round.

3 wins, 9 absolute points, 4 goals scored and no goals conceded - that is clear proof of the efficiency and bravery of U23 Vietnam in Group C. Not only achieving the goal of winning a ticket, the team also demonstrated a tight, scientific and in-depth playing style, which is not easy to achieve at the youth level.

Notably, this is the 6th consecutive time that U23 Vietnam has participated in the U23 Asian finals - a proud achievement, affirming the position and stable development of Vietnamese youth football in the region and continent.

However, amidst the joy of victory, there is still a quiet sadness - the sadness called Nghe An football.

In the list of U23 Vietnam participating in both the U23 Southeast Asian tournament and the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers, there is only one name from Song Lam Nghe An: goalkeeper Cao Van Binh. This is quite surprising if looking at the tradition of producing many young talents of Nghe An football over the years.

Although he was called up, with the extremely stable performance of Tran Trung Kien - who is holding the starting position and playing very impressively - Cao Van Binh's chance to play is not high. This makes the image of Song Lam Nghe An in the Vietnam U23 Team more obscure than ever.

Compared to his teammates at the same club, Cao Van Binh is considered lucky. Because other names such as Ho Van Cuong, Nguyen Quang Vinh or Le Dinh Long Vu are all quality young players with great potential but did not have the opportunity to be in the U23 Vietnam squad in the last two tournaments.

Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnam U23 team is gradually shaping a clear playing style: scientific ball control, flexible movement and proactive pressing. In each position, Mr. Kim has at least 2 equal replacement options, helping the squad operate smoothly and stably.

With such a philosophy, players not only need good skills, but also need to be able to integrate into the general playing style. This may be the main reason why Nghe An players have not been given opportunities.

Although talent is unquestionable, it seems that the playing style of the playersLam River Nghe AnThe team that is used to focusing on individual breakthroughs is not really suitable for the tactical system that the Korean coach is building. That is a harsh reality but needs to be looked at frankly.

However, the door to the national team has not completely closed for the young faces of Song Lam Nghe An. From now until the end of 2025, V.League still has many rounds, and that is the opportunity for the players to show themselves.

If they continue to maintain stable performance in the club's shirt, even creating outstanding highlights in big matches, players like Ho Van Cuong or Le Dinh Long Vu can completely catch the attention of the U23 Vietnam Coaching Board, especially whenCoach Kim Sang-sikalways shows openness in finding new elements.

Although currently not having a clear contribution to the U23 Vietnam squad, it cannot be denied that Song Lam Nghe An is still one of the leading youth football training centers in the country. Many national players in the past and present have come from here - from Van Quyen, Cong Vinh to Phan Van Duc. Especially when, in recent years, the policy of rejuvenating the squad of the Nghe An team has helped many young players have the opportunity to play and assert themselves.

Hopefully, in the journey to conquer the 33rd SEA Games and the upcoming 2026 AFC U23 Championship, the names from Nghe An will return and leave a worthy mark.