ASIAD 2026: Vietnam U23’s 1-1 draw with Kuwait fuels talk of bad luck, wasted chances

The weight of expectations

Vietnam dominated much of Tuesday night’s Group C encounter, enjoying 63 percent possession and attempting 27 shots, compared with Kuwait’s 10.

Yet coach Dinh Hong Vinh’s side converted only one of those chances.

Vietnam struck the woodwork five times, with three efforts hitting the crossbar and two bouncing off the posts, leaving players and supporters to rue a string of missed opportunities.

The result quickly drew reaction from football fans and pages across Southeast Asia, many of whom believed Vietnam had been unfortunate not to take all three points.

“U23 Vietnam were clearly stronger than U23 Kuwait. They dominated the match and took many shots, but they were unlucky and also seemed rushed with their finishing,” fan Theepan wrote on Thailand’s Pantip forum.

He added that such pressure was common when a team entered a match as the stronger side and was expected to win.

Thai football fanpage Buriram Prankster, which has more than 200,000 followers, offered a similar view, saying Vietnam played better but failed to turn their superiority into victory because they did not make enough of their chances.

One fan commenting on the page said Vietnam were unlucky but also lacked sharpness in front of goal, suggesting the players may have been feeling the weight of expectations following their strong run at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup.

That tournament saw Vietnam finish among the top four and helped secure their place in the top seeding group for the Asian Games.

The status reflects Vietnam’s recent progress at youth level, but it has also brought a different kind of pressure.

A fan on Malaysia-based ASEAN Football noted that Vietnamese football had traditionally found success with counter-attacking tactics, particularly against physically stronger West Asian teams.

This time, however, Vietnam entered the tournament as one of the leading seeds and were expected to demonstrate their superiority. That expectation, the fan suggested, may have contributed to a lack of composure in front of goal.

Encouraging signs

Vietnamese football expert Doan Minh Xuong said the draw was disappointing given that Vietnam had faced a weaker opponent, with poor finishing and several efforts hitting the woodwork denying them victory.

Still, he saw positives in the performance. 

Despite limited preparation time, Vietnam played with attacking intent and created enough chances to win.

Xuong said the match also highlighted two areas for improvement: finishing efficiency and tactical flexibility against teams that defend deep.

Vietnam have often relied on a 3-4-3 formation built around defensive solidity and counterattacks, but he suggested switching to systems such as 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 when facing more defensive opponents.

With the opening draw behind them, Vietnam will next face the Philippines on September 18 before taking on Uzbekistan on September 22.

The Asiad 20 men’s football tournament features 15 teams divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. Vietnam are in Group C with Kuwait, the Philippines and Uzbekistan.