With this victory, Vietnam finished at the top of Group C with nine points, officially securing a place in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Finals, scheduled for January 2026.
Yemen opted for a defensive strategy to earn at least one point, focusing all their efforts on defence, which made it challenging for the home team to approach the goal. However, coach Kim Sang-sik's tactical adjustments dismantled the opponent's plan. In the 70th minute, substitutes Van Thuan and Thanh Nhan combined effectively to score the only goal in this pivotal match for Group C.
Thanh Nhan's decisive diagonal shot concluded the Asian qualification round with Việt Nam achieving a perfect record of wins and no goals conceded. This top position in the group also marks the sixth consecutive appearance of Vietnamese youth football in the Asian finals.
After the opening whistle, Vietnam surged forward and recorded their first shot on goal in the 12th minute. Khuat Van Khang dribbled from outside the penalty area, but his shot lacked the precision to beat the Yemeni goalkeeper.
In the 20th minute, controversy arose when the referee did not award a penalty to Vietnam after Nguyen Quoc Viet was pushed down by a defender in the penalty area. The West Asian representatives maintained a defensive stance and failed to create any scoring opportunities in the early stages of the match.
Following a period of ineffective performance, coach Kim made a bold decision by introducing three substitutions. Dinh Bac, Thanh Nhan, and Van Thuan entered the field in the 40th minute, forming a new attacking trident for the Vietnamese team.
The first half ended without any goals. Yemen focused on defence, waiting for set pieces or mistakes from Vietnam to launch counterattacks. In the dying seconds of first-half stoppage time, the visitors nearly scored from a corner kick, but goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien made a crucial save to keep the match scoreless.
As the second half began, Vietnam continued to dominate possession, yet they struggled to find an effective attacking plan.
In the 69th minute, Hieu Minh drew gasps from fans at Viet Tri Stadium with a failed tackle, but luck favoured Vietnam as the ball drifted past the Yemen striker’s movement.
Immediately following this escape, Vietnam responded with a well-coordinated attack from their substitutes. In the 70th minute, Van Thuan passed to Thanh Nhan, who penetrated the penalty area and decisively shot into the far corner of the Yemeni goal.
In the final moments of the match, Yemen's attempts to attack were in vain. They handled the ball clumsily and resorted to fouling to prevent the home team from counterattacking.
With this victory, Vietnam became the first Southeast Asian representative to secure a ticket to the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 finals in Saudi Arabia next year.
