Korean media slam historic football defeat to Vietnam 'shameful'

In a nail-biting shootout on the evening of Jan. 23, both sides converted their first six attempts with precision. The breakthrough came in the seventh round when goalkeeper Cao Van Binh, who made his first start of the tournament, saved Bae Hyun-seo's effort. Striker Nguyen Thanh Nhan seized the moment, burying the decisive spot-kick to seal a historic win for Vietnamese football.

Players embrace in celebration after Vietnam's victory over South Korea in the third-place match of the U23 Asian Cup at King Abdullah Sports City Hall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Jan. 23, 2026. Photo by AFC

Before this match, Vietnam had never beaten South Korea at the U23 level, holding a record of three draws and six losses across nine encounters. Official competition history included defeats at the 2006 and 2018 Asian Games, and multiple U23 Asian Cup meetings. The victory also snapped a streak of disappointment in continental third-place playoffs, where Vietnam had previously failed at the U20 level and the 2018 Asian Games.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's side entered the match as underdogs, missing key center-back Nguyen Hieu Minh through injury and Pham Ly Duc due to suspension. Despite South Korea dominating the statistics with 32 shots to Vietnam's 5 and holding possession, Vietnam played a disciplined counter-attacking game.

The team took the lead in the first half when Nguyen Quoc Viet finished from a narrow angle after a pass from Nguyen Dinh Bac. After the break, the match brought even more heat. Just two minutes after Kim Tae-won equalized for South Korea, Nguyen Dinh Bac restored Vietnam's lead with a stunning free kick to make it 2-1.

However, Dinh Bac went from hero to red card in the 86th minute as he was sent off for tackling dangerously. Reduced to 10 men, Vietnam tried to hold on to the lead but conceded a heartbreaking equalizer in the dying seconds of stoppage time, ending regular time at 2-2.

During the two halves of extra time, goalkeeper Van Binh became the cornerstone of the defense, weathering an intense South Korean bombardment to drag his team to the penalty shootout, where he ultimately became the hero.

South Korean players line up for the penalty shootout with Vietnam in the U23 Asian Cup third place match at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 23, 2026. Photo by AFC

South Korean media meltdown

South Korean media reacted furiously to the defeat. Osen declared the loss opened "a dark chapter in the history of South Korean football," while outlets like JoongAng and Four Four Two labeled the result "shameful" and "humiliating."

"Their opponents lost two key central defenders, and their important striker received a red card, but South Korea was outmatched both tactically and in terms of fighting spirit," JoongAng reported.

Sports Khan criticized the team's "bland and boring football."

"Inaccurate crosses, lifeless shots, the lack of teamwork and the passes around Vietnam's penalty area only added to the statistics without any real value," it wrote.

Yonhap commented: "South Korea suffered a major blow to its pride after losing to its arch-rival Japan, and couldn't even beat Vietnam in the third-place match."

With this bronze medal, Vietnam becomes the sixth team in history to finish in the top three at the U23 Asian Cup more than once, joining Japan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Iraq.

 

 

Korean media slam historic football defeat to Vietnam 'shameful'

VIE - KOR