Football 

HÀ NỘI — Putting semi-final disappointment behind them, Việt Nam and South Korea will battle for third place at the AFC U23 Asian Cup on January 23 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Việt Nam were beaten 3-0 by China, while South Korea lost 1-0 to Japan on January 20, ending their hopes of lifting the championship trophy.

However, both sides will be determined to finish their campaigns on a high note at the Alinma Bank Stadium in King Abdullah Sport City.

Việt Nam head coach Kim Sang-sik said he expects his players to give their best despite seeing their title ambitions come to an end.

“We have to keep fighting and give everything against South Korea,” Kim said on the-afc.com. “From the first game until today, we have consistently faced opponents who were physically stronger than us, but our players have shown great determination.

“We have grown a lot during this tournament and while I’m satisfied with our progress, there is still room for improvement.”

Opposite number Lee Min-sung acknowledged there were areas his side must address ahead of the third-place play-off.

 

“In terms of scoring, we have a lot of things we have to fix. In the next match, to score, we need to find a better balance in our game to create more chances and stay in control to win,” said Lee, who was Kim’s senior national team-mate.

“I hope to see this team continue to grow and improve to the best that they can.”

This will be the teams’ third meeting at the U23 Asian Cup, with South Korea unbeaten in their previous encounters. They claimed a 2-1 win in 2018 and a 1-1 draw in 2022.

South Korea’s best result in the tournament was the championship title in 2020, while Việt Nam finished second in 2018.

Referee Abdullah Al Jamali of Kuwait will take charge of the match. He will be assisted by Ali Jraq of Kuwait and Nasser Salim Abdullah Ambusaidi of Oman, with Alexander George King of Australia as the sideline official. — VNS