THE RED DRAGON ROARS IN THE DESERT
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia - Ten years ago in Doha, a heart-wrenching 3-2 defeat to the UAE sent Vietnam crashing out of the U23 Asian Cup group stages. Yesterday in Jeddah, under the floodlights of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, the script was rewritten.
In a match that will go down in Vietnamese football folklore, Vietnam U23 exorcised a decade-long demon, defeating their "nemesis" UAE 3-2 to book a ticket to the Semi-finals of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup.
It was the climax of a journey that began with quiet determination and has exploded into a national celebration.
Few pundits predicted Vietnam would emerge as the dominant force of Group A. Placed alongside strong opponents and the tournament hosts, the "Golden Star Warriors," led by the tactically astute Kim Sang-sik, arrived with a point to prove. The campaign began with a clinical 2-0 victory over Jordan, setting the tone for what was to come. But it was the grit shown in the second match a hard-fought 2-1 win against Kyrgyzstan that showed this team had the mental fortitude to match their technical skill.
The hosts, Saudi Arabia. In front of a partisan home crowd, Vietnam produced a defensive masterclass and a moment of magic from substitute Nguyen Dinh Bac to steal a 1-0 win. Nine points. Three wins. Zero draws. Vietnam became the first team in the tournament to advance with a perfect record, topping Group A and sending a shockwave through the competition.
Despite the perfect start, the Quarter-final draw was unkind. It pitted them against the UAE a team Vietnam U23 had never beaten in official competition. The ghosts of 2016, and the penalty shootout heartbreak of the 2018 Asian Games, loomed large. The match started at a frantic pace. UAE, physically imposing and technically sharp, looked to assert dominance early. The game turned into a firefight, a end-to-end thriller that mirrored the 3-2 scoreline of 2016, but this time, the resilience was Red.
Goals flew in from both sides, pushing the tension to its breaking point. When the UAE equalized to make it 2-2, it felt like history might repeat itself. But this generation of Vietnamese players, hardened by the V-League and inspired by Coach Kim’s disciplined philosophy, refused to crumble. In the dying minutes, Vietnam found the extra gear. A swift counter-attack, a precise cross, and the ball hit the back of the net for the third time. 3-2.
The final whistle triggered scenes of jubilation not just in Jeddah, but across Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The "UAE Curse" was not just broken; it was shattered.