U23 Vietnam vs China: First Half Ends Scoreless

Morgan Winslow

ago 12 hours

U23 Vietnam vs China: First Half Ends Scoreless

The U23 Vietnam football team faced a disappointing defeat against U23 China in a recent match. Throughout much of the game, U23 China showcased a significant shift in strategy, opting for a more aggressive approach compared to their previous defensive style. This tactical change allowed them to control the ball for approximately 65% of the match, consistently applying pressure on Vietnam’s goalkeeper, Trung Kiên.

First Half Overview

During the first half, U23 Vietnam’s defense remained focused, effectively neutralizing U23 China’s attacking moves. However, the team faced an unfortunate setback when defender Hiểu Minh suffered a serious injury after a collision with an opposing player. This incident occurred in the 33rd minute, forcing him to leave the field and be replaced by Đức Anh.

Second Half Developments

The start of the second half brought unexpected challenges for Vietnam. Just minutes in, U23 China capitalized on a corner kick. Peng Xiao made a well-timed run to score with a powerful header, marking the game’s first goal in the 46th minute. Vietnam struggled to recover from this early loss.

Things worsened quickly for the Vietnam team. In the 52nd minute, Xiang Yuwang scored a spectacular goal from outside the box, bringing the score to 2-0. Vietnam’s head coach, Kim Sang Sik, found his strategic game plan disrupted as they faced two rapid setbacks.

Late Game Struggles

Despite being behind, U23 Vietnam attempted numerous offensive substitutions to regain control. However, they faced further difficulties when defender Lý Đức received a direct red card for a foul, leaving Vietnam with ten players on the field. VAR intervened to prevent a third goal for U23 China, but the team struggled to make significant offensive progress against a well-prepared Chinese defense.

Final Score and Historical Context

As the match came to a close, Wang Yudong sealed the game with a final goal, bringing U23 China’s victory to 3-0. This historic win marked the first time U23 China has reached the finals of the U23 Asian Championship. In contrast, U23 Vietnam now prepares for a third-place playoff against U23 South Korea.