Coach Dinh Hong Vinh: Losing both central midfielders, U23 Vietnam remain ready for Asiad 2026 quarterfinal

Nagoya, September 22, 2026. In the sixth minute of the final Group C match, Vietnam U23's net shook. Uzbekistan attacked at high tempo, a moment of lost concentration, and all the cautious calculations of the coaching staff were thrown into a chase. The match ended 0-2, but Vietnam U23 still advanced. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh did not talk about defeat. He talked about readiness: “Whoever we face in the quarterfinals, we are mentally prepared.” That sentence may reassure fans. Behind it, however, is a quiet squad crisis: the two central midfielders in his preferred system are both injured.

I was in the post-match press conference, and the first thing I noticed was that his tone was not pessimistic. He praised Uzbekistan before talking about his own team. That is a small detail, but it reflects how an experienced coach manages emotions after defeat. He knows the most important match is still ahead, and his job now is not to point out who was wrong, but to keep the group standing.

Before kickoff, the Group C situation was clear. Uzbekistan were the only team to win all group matches, having almost retained the squad that played in the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. They have the cohesion Vietnam U23 lack. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh's team had a short preparation period and had to mix players from the AFC U23 Asian Cup with new faces. Many key U23 players had been promoted to the senior national team, leaving the squad thin and short on playing time together. Losing to an opponent like Uzbekistan was not a shock. What matters is how Vietnam U23 lost: conceding very early, before the team could settle into the match.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh explained: “We started cautiously because we knew the opponent was strong. But Uzbekistan played at a very high tempo, and we lost concentration for a moment.” After the goal, Vietnam U23 gradually regained control of the ball. He insisted the team had chances in the first half but failed to take them. “If we had equalized before the end of the first half, the situation could have been different.” That is a hypothetical statement, but it shows the problem lies in converting chances, not in creating them. A team that creates chances but does not score always lives with risk. That risk becomes especially serious when the next opponent is among the strongest teams in Asia.

The tactical key lies in the central midfield. Xuan Bac was injured during the match against Uzbekistan. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh admitted: “Losing Xuan Bac reduced the ability to control the rhythm of transitions.” By the end of the day, there was more painful confirmation: Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong, the other central midfielder, was also not available for the quarterfinal. So the entire central midfield pair Vietnam U23 had relied on to control matches is unavailable. He said the team had to change personnel through each match, but that is forced rotation, not tactical choice. When a team rotates because of injuries, the stability of its style suffers. Vietnam U23 are facing exactly that problem.

There was no xG data, no possession percentage, no pass count in the press conference report. But one detail says enough: the two starting players in the most important midfield area cannot play. For a team that depends on transitions, losing both central midfielders means losing the “brain” of the game. The replacements may be young and full of energy, but energy cannot replace understanding in pressing-escape situations.

The context is even tougher because of the weather. Since September 13, Nagoya has endured extreme heat. Vietnam U23 played three group matches in high temperatures and had only three days to recover before the quarterfinal on September 25. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh stressed the need to “recover well and regain condition,” but he also knows that three days is too short for players who have just endured high-intensity exertion in the heat. The weather did not only affect the match against Uzbekistan. It silently wore down the whole squad throughout the group stage. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh said post-match fitness assessment is an important basis for planning the quarterfinal. He does not want to risk any player who is not fully fit. That caution is necessary, but it also shows Vietnam U23 are calculating every remaining percentage of physical capacity against a major opponent.

At this point, the role of backup players becomes more important than ever. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh did not name who will replace Xuan Bac and Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong, but the medical staff will have to work nonstop to produce the most feasible starting lineup. For a young team, losing two key midfielders is not simply losing players; the team also loses the understanding in short passing combinations to escape pressure. Without a good replacement plan, Vietnam U23 will face great difficulty building from the back. With a good replacement plan, they can still compete. The personnel puzzle is now the decisive one.

In the quarterfinal, Vietnam U23's opponent will come from Group D. The race for top spot in Group D is between South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Both are among the title contenders at the Asian youth level. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh did not choose an opponent and did not seem afraid: “We are mentally ready. Whoever we face, we will play with the highest determination.” That remark recalls the fighting spirit of Vietnamese youth football in major tournaments. Nobody rates them highly, but nobody is allowed to underestimate them.

Saying “ready” now is a necessary mental message, but it cannot hide the technical gaps the coach himself acknowledged. He is not satisfied with the ability to exploit attacks in the final third. He also said the team's play was “sometimes slow in tempo.” When the quarterfinal opponent is a high-pressing team like South Korea or Saudi Arabia, a slow start can be punished in the opening minutes. The sixth-minute concession against Uzbekistan is the clearest warning. Without that lesson, Vietnam U23 could easily face the same scenario against an even stronger opponent.

The question professionals are asking now: is “ready” just a diplomatic phrase? Coach Dinh Hong Vinh is someone who has publicly accepted responsibility many times. He is not afraid to speak directly about limitations. So when he says the team is ready, it is not empty talk. But mental readiness is different from tactical readiness. A team missing both central midfielders can hardly be called perfectly ready. What he truly wants to say is probably this: even without the strongest squad, Vietnam U23 will fight with everything they have.

Vietnamese fans are used to miracles at youth level. But this time, the U23 squad does not have many players who have become pillars of the senior national team. This is the inevitable result of a system that prioritizes the senior team. Calling young players up early helps them develop faster, but it also means the U23 group is constantly drained. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh understands that. Instead of complaining, he sees this as a chance for new players to be tested. In difficult circumstances, the value of a collective is forged most clearly. He said: “Regardless of the squad, when taking responsibility for the team, I am still satisfied. This new squad will also make great progress in the future.”

The Asiad 2026 quarterfinal will be played on September 25. Vietnam U23 face three problems: fitness, personnel, and opponent. If they solve the fitness problem, they can play at their true level. If they find an effective midfield replacement, they can surprise. If neither happens, the quarterfinal will be the end of a challenging Asiad campaign. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh still believes in his players. Now it is time for the players to prove it on the pitch. Real readiness will only be proven on the field, not in the press conference.