Jeddah: South Korea ended their campaign at the Asian U-23 Football Tournament in Saudi Arabia with a fourth-place finish after a defeat to 10-man Vietnam. The match, held at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium, saw Vietnam triumph 7-6 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after regulation and extra time.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea, under the guidance of coach Lee Min-sung, had a challenging journey to the third-place match. They advanced to the quarterfinals after securing second place in Group C behind Uzbekistan and managed a 2-1 victory over Australia. However, they faced a setback with a 1-0 loss to Japan in the semifinals.

Vietnam, led by South Korean coach Kim Sang-sik, showed strong performance throughout the tournament. They topped Group A and defeated the United Arab Emirates 3-2 in the quarterfinals. Despite a 3-0 loss to China in the semifinals, Vietnam made a historic run by clinching third place, marking their best performance since finishing as runners-up in 2018.

Throughout the match, South Korea dominated possession and had a significant advantage in shot attempts, with 75.6% ball possession and 32 shots compared to Vietnam's 5. However, Vietnam took the lead with a goal from Nguyen Quoc Viet, and despite various attempts, South Korea struggled to capitalize on their chances.

South Korea found themselves trailing again after Kim Tae-won's equalizer was quickly countered by Nguyen Dinh Bac's goal for Vietnam. The match saw a pivotal moment when Nguyen Dinh Bac received a red card in the 86th minute, giving South Korea a numerical advantage. Shin Min-ha's stoppage-time goal pushed the game into extra time, but neither team could break the deadlock.

In the penalty shootout, both teams converted their first six shots. The decisive moment came when Bae Hyun-seo's shot was saved, and Nguyen Thanh Nhan secured Vietnam's victory with a successful conversion.

Post-match, coach Lee Min-sung acknowledged the team's need for improvement, especially in critical moments and attacking strategies. He emphasized the importance of composure and technical skills for future competitions.

Vietnam's coach, Kim Sang-sik, praised his players for their resilience and mental strength, expressing pride in their achievement and viewing the victory as a stepping stone for further development.