Coach Dinh Hong Vinh not satisfied despite reaching ASIAD 2026 quarter-finals

Head coach Dinh Hong Vinh was not satisfied despite reaching the ASIAD 2026 quarter-finals. At Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya on September 22, Vietnam lost 0-2 to Uzbekistan in the final Group C match. The result did not stop Vinh's team from advancing because the Philippines beat Kuwait 2-1 at the same time. Vietnam finished second in Group C with four points, behind Uzbekistan with seven and one point ahead of the Philippines. The match started badly for Vietnam. In the fifth minute, Mohammadali Urinboev opened the scoring for Uzbekistan. After conceding early, Vietnam controlled the ball more and created several chances. Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong and Nguyen Ngoc My had attempts, but they were blocked or missed the target. Nguyen Thanh Nhan put the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. In the 35th minute, Vietnam lost central midfielder Nguyen Xuan Bac to injury. His absence affected the team's rhythm and transition play. In the second half, Uzbekistan scored again in the 68th minute through Ibraimov, who dribbled past Pham Ly Duc and fired into the net. Goalkeeper Cao Van Binh touched the ball but could not keep it out. Vietnam finished the group stage with 51 shots, only 17 on target, and three goals. Coach Vinh admitted his team were slow and lacked efficiency in the final third. He still praised the players' spirit and said the younger squad members would benefit from playing alongside those who competed at the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals. Vietnam will face the Group D winners in the quarter-finals on September 25 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya. South Korea are the likely opponents and are among the favourites for the gold medal. They have three quality overage players and extra motivation because a gold medal grants military service exemptions under South Korean law. Coach Vinh said Vietnam would prepare mentally for any opponent, focusing on recovery and checking injuries to Nguyen Xuan Bac and Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong. To beat South Korea, Vietnam must improve their finishing and show composure in decisive moments. Their fighting spirit gives them a chance, but knockout football is often decided by individual brilliance and clinical finishing. Vietnam have already achieved their goal of reaching the quarter-finals, but the journey is not over.