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Goals from Nguyen Dinh Bac and defender Nguyen Hieu Minh in the first half proved decisive, as Vietnam combined clinical finishing with disciplined defending to secure all three points.
Vietnam began confidently and tested Jordan early through long-range efforts from Khuat Van Khang and Nguyen Xuan Bac.
The pressure paid off in the 12th minute when a Jordan handball was spotted after a VAR review.
Dinh Bac calmly converted the resulting penalty in the 15th minute, sending goalkeeper Abdel Al Talalga the wrong way to give Vietnam the lead.
Jordan responded by pushing more players forward and dominating possession, but struggled to create clear chances against Vietnam’s compact back line. Despite sustained pressure, the West Asian side failed to register a shot on target in the opening 25 minutes.
Vietnam remained dangerous from set pieces, and their persistence was rewarded shortly before halftime.
In the 42nd minute, a corner caused confusion in the Jordan box, and Hieu Minh reacted quickest to tap in the loose ball for a 2–0 lead.
Jordan came close to pulling one back before the break, but Yousef Qashi’s free kick crashed off the crossbar during stoppage time.
Jordan emerged aggressively after halftime and maintained a high defensive line in search of a comeback. However, Vietnam’s defense, led by Hieu Minh and goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien, stood firm.
Trung Kien made a key intervention to deny Odeh Fakhoury, while Moamen Al-Saket’s long-range effort later in the half was comfortably saved.
As Jordan increased the tempo in the final 20 minutes, Vietnam absorbed pressure and managed the game well, using substitutions to maintain energy levels. Defender Hieu Minh was particularly influential, repeatedly cutting out attacks as Jordan relied on crosses and long shots.
Vietnam nearly added a third goal in stoppage time when Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong struck the crossbar with a long-range effort, but the two-goal cushion proved sufficient.
After six minutes of added time, the final whistle confirmed a notable opening-day win for the Southeast Asian side.
Vietnam will next face Kyrgyzstan on Friday, while Jordan will look to bounce back in their remaining group matches.
2026 U23 Asian Cup: Vietnam 2-0 Jordan
