Vietnam players celebrate during the third-place playoff against South Korea at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, January 23, 2026. Photo: TED Tran
Vietnam took the lead against the run of play in the 30th minute when winger Nguyen Dinh Bac broke down the left and set up Nguyen Quoc Viet, who scored with a close-range finish.
The Southeast Asian side went into halftime ahead after a VAR review ruled out South Korea's appeals for a penalty late in the first half.
South Korea dominated possession after the break and equalized when Kim Tae Won turned and fired past goalkeeper Cao Van Binh.
Vietnam’s Nguyen Quoc Viet celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the third-place playoff against South Korea at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, January 23, 2026. Photo: TED Tran
Vietnam restored their advantage in the 71st minute as Dinh Bac converted a free kick to make it 2-1.
The momentum shifted again when Dinh Bac was sent off in the 86th minute for a reckless tackle, leaving Vietnam to defend under sustained pressure.
South Korea forced extra time deep into stoppage time when Shin Min Hae scored in the seventh minute of added time to level the match at 2-2.
Vietnam forward Nguyen Dinh Bac reacts during the third-place playoff against South Korea at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, January 23, 2026. Photo: TED Tran
Vietnam absorbed further pressure during extra time, repelling a series of crosses to take the match to penalties.
In the shootout, Vietnam converted all seven of their attempts, while South Korea missed once, handing Vietnam a 7-6 victory and the bronze medal at the continental tournament.
The 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup is held in Saudi Arabia from January 6 to 24.
The final between China and Japan takes place at 10:00 pm on Saturday (Vietnam time).
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