A screenshot shows a post from the FIFA World Cup Facebook account praising Vietnam's under-23 players following their Group A victory against Saudi Arabia at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, January 13, 2026.
Vietnam sealed the top spot in Group A with nine points from three matches following the win early on Tuesday, advancing to the quarterfinals and eliminating hosts Saudi Arabia, who finished third in the group.
After the match, the FIFA World Cup's verified Facebook page posted a short message praising the two Vietnamese players, referencing the goalkeeper's saves and the forward's decisive finish.
The post read, "Flying like TK1, shooting like DB7," using the players' initials and jersey numbers as shorthand.
Nguyen Dinh Bac scored the only goal of the match, converting in the second half to secure Vietnam's third straight victory in the group.
Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien played a key role in preserving the lead, making multiple saves as Saudi Arabia pressed for an equalizer.
Match data provider Flashscore rated Kien among the top performers of the game, reflecting his impact in goal as Vietnam absorbed sustained pressure from the hosts.
The result capped a landmark group-stage run for Vietnam, who had beaten Jordan and Kyrgyzstan earlier in the tournament to finish with a perfect record -- a rare achievement for the Southeast Asian side at Asian youth championships.
Vietnam will face either Syria or the United Arab Emirates in the quarterfinals at 10:30 pm (Vietnam time) on Friday.
The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, held in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 24, features four groups of four teams, with the top two in each group advancing to the quarterfinals.
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