Tuan Phong Points Out U23 Vietnam's 'Three Identical Matches': Asiad 2026 Quarterfinal Berth Earned, But Tactical Maze Unsolved

I just rewatched the footage of U23 Vietnam's final Group C match against U23 Uzbekistan at the 2026 Asian Games men's football tournament. Three group-stage matches were nearly identical films: the ball circulated smoothly in front of the opponent's box, a burst of pace down the wing, a cross — then everything died in front of an organized defense. Former international Nguyen Tuan Phong, who sat in the stands for the entire group stage, said bluntly in Tuoi Tre newspaper: "Three identical matches." I could not agree more. Behind the screen, I see a maze rearranging itself, and Vietnam's attackers are walking into a familiar dead end.

I sit in São Paulo, more than 17,000 kilometers from Hangzhou, but geography does not stop me from spotting the gaps in that maze. Since my 2026 World Cup blog post analyzing Germany's loss to South Korea, I have always applied one principle: read space first, read names later. In all three group matches, the space in front of U23 Vietnam's box was always crowded, yet no one appeared in the right position to receive the final pass. The trouble is structural, not individual technique.

U23 Vietnam entered the 2026 Asian Games as a team that had just finished third at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, a rare achievement. But the Asiad squad is noticeably different. Head coach Dinh Hong Vinh had to rebuild after the Kim Sang Sik era. Against Uzbekistan, two first-choice center-backs, Hieu Minh and Nhat Minh, were unavailable for fitness reasons. Dinh Bac, the most important attacking player, was also absent. The back line was assembled from three inexperienced names: Duc Anh, Le Nguyen Hoang, and Pham Ly Duc.

In the group stage, U23 Vietnam was placed in Group C with Kuwait, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan. In the first two matches, the team got favorable results against Kuwait and the Philippines. In the final match against Uzbekistan, they lost 0-2. But thanks to parallel results in other groups, the quarterfinal ticket was secured. On paper, that is a respectable achievement. But Tuan Phong did not celebrate. He chose to dissect, and what he saw worried him. He is a former international who played as a central midfielder for years. He watches matches not as a fan, but with the eyes of a man who once stood in midfield, absorbing pressure, making decisive passes.

My analysis starts with the tactical shape. U23 Vietnam operates with a three-center-back system — 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 depending on the moment. This system requires wing-backs to push high to create attacking width while the center-backs cover for each other fluidly. The problem: when both wing-backs push forward at the same time, the space behind them becomes fertile ground for opponents. Tuan Phong noted that left-back Le Dinh Long Vu was constantly targeted by Uzbekistan in the first half. They overloaded the left side, stretched Vietnam's defensive structure, then played line-breaking passes into the space behind Long Vu.

When I analyze match space, I see that Uzbekistan never needed to overcomplicate. They only needed one principle: when the ball reached the right-sided winger, the whole team shifted to that direction, creating a "magnet" that pulled Vietnam's center-backs out of position. Once the magnet was strong enough, they switched the ball to the opposite flank, where the space had opened up. It was a classic switch-of-play attack, and Vietnam's back three — lacking cohesion — could not follow. Tuan Phong said the center-backs "did not cover for each other." I would go further: they did not dare to cover because this trio was starting together for the first time. The lack of understanding made them play safe, guarding the ball rather than guarding space. They feared leaving their positions because they did not know who would fill the gap. A chain reaction followed: the center-backs did not push up, the midfielders had to drop deep to receive the ball, the distance between the three lines stretched, and the forwards became isolated.

The second problem lies in midfield. In a three-center-back system, the defensive midfielder is the shield in front of the back line. But U23 Vietnam has no true defensive midfielder. The central midfield duo, Xuan Bac and Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong, are both attack-oriented, accustomed to playing forward rather than dropping to protect. When the ball was lost, the space between the midfield and defense became no-man's land. Uzbekistan moved the ball through this area too easily in both conceded goals. Tuan Phong called this "the Thai Son-type player we keep searching for and cannot find." I understand what he means: not just a ball-winner, but someone who reads situations, anticipates danger before it happens, and seals space before opponents recognize it.

The third problem — finishing — is really a consequence of the first two. Without a defensive midfielder, the attacking midfielders must drop deep to help defend. When they drop, the distance between midfield and attack becomes too large. The striker receives the ball with his back to goal, no space to turn, forced to shoot under difficult conditions. That is why "wasting many chances" is an imprecise phrase. The real problem is not conversion; it is the quality of chances created — far below what a strong team needs. Dinh Bac, the only player capable of creating a moment from nothing, was absent. No one replaced him, and the attack fell into a lifeless state. I have watched enough matches to know that a goal is only the conclusion of a debate. But U23 Vietnam's attacking debate was never started with a strong argument.

Here, I want to push back against most post-match commentary. When a team "wastes chances" in three consecutive matches, public opinion usually blames the forwards. The problem lies in the imbalance between the defense and the midfield line. An insecure defense drops deeper than normal. A deeper defense stretches the spacing between lines. The forwards are left fighting alone in aimless long balls. Blaming the strikers is far too simple.

My second contrarian point: head coach Dinh Hong Vinh may not deserve all the criticism. Media pressure is weighing on him, especially when Tuan Phong compares the current squad to the Kim Sang Sik era and assesses this team as "weaker than itself." But a coach cannot create a defensive midfielder out of thin air. He cannot make his first-choice center-backs fit through tactical drills alone. He must work with what he has, and what he has is a patchwork squad. His in-game adjustment against Uzbekistan — bringing in Phi Hoang for Le Dinh Long Vu — improved the left flank significantly in the second half. That is a signal that he can read the game and intervene in time.

There is a detail many overlook. Tuan Phong spent considerable effort lowering expectations. He said the current squad "still has many deficiencies" and fans should moderate their hopes. That is the expectation management of a man who has been inside the game. He knows that third place at the AFC U23 Asian Cup cast a massive shadow, and comparing this squad to the Kim Sang Sik generation only adds unnecessary pressure. I recall a saying among Brazilian analysts: in difficult days, football does not need flattery; it needs breathing. U23 Vietnam is having those breathing days. Formation charts are just paper, but pressure always fits. When you enter a quarterfinal, pressure does not negotiate with anyone. It wraps around you like an oversized suit of armor — and if that suit does not fit, every crack will be exploited.

The 2026 Asian Games quarterfinal is not far away. The real concern is not whether U23 Vietnam can get through, but whether coach Dinh Hong Vinh has the courage to change a failing system. If Hieu Minh and Nhat Minh return, if he accepts sacrificing one attacking spot to field a real defensive midfielder, U23 Vietnam can spring a surprise. They once beat South Korea on penalties at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup. The potential exists. But if they repeat those "three identical matches," the quarterfinal ticket will simply be the end of the maze. Before an explosion, there is a stillness that outsiders cannot see. I want to believe that stillness is growing somewhere in U23 Vietnam's dressing room — and the quarterfinal will tell us whether it is latent strength or disguised helplessness.