Vietnam U23 departs for Japan: Journey to Asiad 2026 and unresolved variables

At 00:15 on September 13, coach Dinh Hong Vinh and his squad officially departed Vietnam for Japan to compete in the 2026 Asian Games (Asiad 20). The five-hour flight brought Vietnam U23 to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya — one of the host cities. This was not a journey that began with the usual excitement. From the very first moments on Japanese soil, the most pressing question was already evident: does the team have sufficient squad depth to execute its tactical plans as intended? Thanh Nhan — a nickname given by fans and experts to one squad member — walked down the aircraft stairs with a composed face. But behind that composure lay a grueling preparation journey, a roster still missing pieces, and a tactical plan forced to wait for two final names.

Background: Birth of a Special Campaign

The 2026 Asian Games is the 20th edition in history, hosted by Japan across three main cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. Men's football at Asiad 20 kicks off on September 14, one day before the official opening ceremony. Under the remaining regulations from the 2026 edition, each team can register a maximum of 22 players, with no limit on overage players. However, the biggest challenge for Vietnam U23 is not the regulations but the overlap between V-League match schedules and the national team training window.

Immediately after completing immigration procedures at Chubu Centrair Airport, the entire team moved to the organizer-arranged hotel. The first training session was scheduled for the afternoon of September 13 — less than 24 hours after landing in Japan. With a two-hour time difference from Vietnam plus jet lag and a long flight, this presents a physical conditioning challenge that the team's logistics staff and fitness coaches must carefully manage. Based on my experience following international matches — having witnessed numerous national teams decline in performance during their opening match due to poor physical management — this recovery factor could determine the result of the opening match against Kuwait more than any tactical consideration.

Two Late Arrivals and the Unresolved Roster Question

As of the team's departure from the Hanoi concentration hotel, Vietnam U23 still did not have its full squad. Two players — Nguyen Quoc Toan of Quy Nhon and Dang Tuan Phong of Hai Phong — only arrived in Nagoya right before Vietnam U23's opening match at Asiad. This is not a rare situation in Vietnamese football, but the level of impact depends entirely on their tactical roles within coach Dinh Hong Vinh's system.

Nguyen Quoc Toan, born in 2026, is a fast winger with strong one-on-one dribbling ability. In the 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 formation Vietnam U23 typically employs, his position requires chemistry with the wide corridors — something that requires training time to develop. Dang Tuan Phong, also from the 2026 generation, is a deep-lying playmaker with tactical vision, excellent through-ball ability, and high-pressing contribution. His absence from the early training sessions means the core midfield pairing — assuming coach Dinh Hong Vinh has already identified it — will be missing a crucial link in building play from the defensive third.

The personnel issue extends beyond these two late arrivals. After Round 2 of LPBank V-League 2026/27, only six SLNA players managed to reunite with the squad for the flight to Japan. This means the actual time together for the entire midfield and defensive units is extremely limited. In modern football, where organized team pressing and movement determine most outcomes, the lack of collective training time cannot be compensated by individual talent alone. This is a variable that Kuwait — the opening opponent on September 15 — could exploit from the very first minutes.

Imprint from SLNA and Lessons from the Hanoi FC Victory

Before departure, SLNA delivered a notable performance in Round 2 of LPBank V-League 2026/27, securing a 4-1 victory over Hanoi FC — a somewhat surprising result given both teams' early-season standings. In that match, the two most outstanding individuals in the Vietnam U23 squad were goalkeeper Cao Van Binh and forward Quang Vinh.

Cao Van Binh continued to demonstrate stability between the posts. He is not only a psychological anchor for the defense but also shows reliable footwork — an almost mandatory requirement for modern goalkeepers when the team needs to build from the back under high pressure. With Vietnam U23 set to face Uzbekistan in the final group match — a team known for high-intensity pressing — the presence of a goalkeeper confident in short passing distribution will be a key factor.

Quang Vinh made his mark with a brace in just a few short minutes. What is notable is not the goal count but how he scored: intelligent off-ball movement, one-touch finishing, and most importantly, the ability to deliver under tight time constraints. At Asiad 2026, where match density is high (every 3 days), players who can make a difference in brief moments will have enormous tactical value. The win over Hanoi FC not only gave SLNA three points but also administered an important psychological dose — the confidence of proving capability at the highest domestic level.

Group and Schedule: Benign or Brutal?

At Asiad 20, Vietnam U23 were drawn in Group C alongside Uzbekistan, Philippines, and Kuwait. This is a group that experts consider not overly brutal compared to Group A (host Japan and South Korea) or Group B (Iran, Qatar, UAE). However, this assessment requires closer scrutiny through the lens of each opponent's actual strength.

Kuwait — the first opponent on September 15 — is a team known for disciplined defensive play, frequently employing a 5-4-1 formation with a dense defense and quick wide counter-attacks. Kuwait's recent record at the U23 level is not particularly impressive, but their senior national team was once a West Asian football powerhouse and still possesses a physical advantage over Southeast Asian teams. The opening match against Kuwait requires Vietnam U23 to control possession, find gaps in the five-man defense, and most importantly — score early to force the opponent open, creating space for their passing game.

Philippines — the second opponent on September 18 — presents a completely different challenge. The Philippines U23 team has made significant progress in recent years, particularly with a generation of players trained in the USA and Europe. Their coach typically employs a 4-3-3 formation with high pressing from the opposition's defensive third. This is a match where Vietnam U23 can be more proactive in possession, but must remain vigilant against the Philippines' counter-attack speed, especially in fast transition situations.

Uzbekistan — the final opponent on September 22 — is considered the heaviest contender in the group. The Uzbekistan U23 team has consistently impressed at Asian youth tournaments, possessing strong physical foundations, good individual technique, and direct play. If Vietnam U23 secures favorable results in the first two matches, the Uzbekistan match could determine group top spot — directly affecting knockout-round opponents.

Tactical Analysis: What We Know and Don't Know About Vietnam U23

Based on available information and the play style coach Dinh Hong Vinh has built during the concentration period, several preliminary analyses of the team's tactical system can be offered.

Regarding formation, SLNA — the club supplying the most players to Vietnam U23 — typically employs a 3-4-3 system with three staggered centre-backs, two wingbacks with a tendency to push high, and a front three with a roaming target forward combined with two inside wingers. If coach Dinh Hong Vinh maintains this system for Vietnam U23, the key lies in the two wingbacks' transition ability. Against a deep-block opponent like Kuwait, the right wingback must create width for the midfield line; against a high-pressing opponent like Philippines, they need to tuck inside to create balance between 4-3-3 and 5-4-1 in defensive phases.

In midfield, this is the area with the most variables. If Dang Tuan Phong has not fully reunited with the squad, coach Dinh Hong Vinh is forced to use a backup central midfielder pairing — which could affect the team's ability to control the middle third, especially against Uzbekistan in the final group match. Vietnam U23's midfield needs to accomplish three tasks simultaneously: win early possession, build safely from the defensive third, and create through-balls for forwards. Any disruption in this chain can leave the team on the back foot.

In attack, Quang Vinh — after his brace against Hanoi FC — is in peak form, but needs to be placed in the right position to maximize his ability. In a 3-4-3 formation, the left inside-forward position may be where he operates most effectively — where he can move into the central channel to shoot while simultaneously stretching the opposition defense to create space for teammates. However, to achieve this, Quang Vinh needs support from a target forward capable of hold-up play and movement to attract opposing centre-backs.

Contrarian View: Things Not to Overexpect

One reality that needs to be faced squarely: Vietnam U23 is not a title contender at Asiad 20. The team made waves at the 2026 Asian U23 Championship when reaching the quarterfinals, but the current generation — largely born in 2026 and 2026 — has not had sufficient time playing at a high international level to accumulate experience. The team missing collective training time, combined with two players arriving late, makes expectations for a seamless performance from start to finish unrealistic.

One tactical blind spot that many fans may overlook: Vietnam U23's record at major tournaments is typically better when the team is underestimated and not closely scouted by opponents. When the team enters the knockout rounds, psychological pressure will increase, and this is where the real challenge lies — not the group stage, where the team can leverage physical and speed advantages to overcome weaker opponents.

Additionally, the physical factor needs objective assessment. LPBank V-League 2026/27 has only completed two rounds, meaning most U23 players are still in the early season physical-building phase. Meanwhile, Middle Eastern teams like Kuwait typically have longer physical preparation cycles and are ready to perform at high intensity throughout all 90 minutes. Vietnam U23 may win, but if the match goes to extra time or penalties, the physical and situational experience factors could favor the opponent.

Physical Management and the Dream of Advancing Beyond Group Stage

With a dense schedule (September 15, 18, 22), Vietnam U23 has exactly 3 days between each match to recover and prepare tactically. This is a major challenge for any team, but especially for one that just completed a long flight and has not had sufficient collective training time.

In my experience following international campaigns, there have been numerous cases where teams performed excellently in their opening match but completely collapsed in their second match due to poor physical management. The most important thing for Vietnam U23 is not winning big in the opening match but winning at the lowest possible physical cost. If the team can beat Kuwait 1-0 or 2-1 instead of 3-0, that could be a far more valuable victory for the entire tournament.

On the psychological side, the team needs to avoid two extremes: overconfidence after the SLNA victory over Hanoi FC, and excessive anxiety about the lack of preparation time. The 4-1 league victory is a positive signal, but it occurred in a completely different context — home ground, an opponent without special motivation in an early-season round, and a match intensity that cannot compare to an official Asiad fixture. Players need constant reminders that every match at this tournament is an entirely different test.

Questions to Answer in the First 72 Hours in Nagoya

In the first 72 hours in Nagoya, Vietnam U23 needs to resolve at least three urgent issues. First, the two players Nguyen Quoc Toan and Dang Tuan Phong need to be integrated into the tactical system as quickly as possible — not just in terms of physical conditioning but also in movement patterns, pressing mechanisms, and coordination with teammates. Second, the coaching staff needs to determine the starting XI for the Kuwait match — whether to use the familiar 3-4-3 or switch to 4-2-3-1 to bolster midfield security against West Asian counter-attack play. Third, the team needs to establish a building-from-the-back protocol — as the opposition defense will press high from the start — and clearly identify who receives the ball first when goalkeeper Cao Van Binh distributes.

Additionally, weather conditions in Nagoya in mid-September are also a variable worth noting. Daytime temperatures can reach 28-30 degrees Celsius with high humidity — conditions that can affect match rhythm and player stamina. Compared to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Nagoya's climate is not extremely harsh, but differences in humidity and air pressure may create unusual fatigue sensations for unacclimatized players.

Looking Ahead to the Knockout Round: Optimistic and Realistic Scenarios

If Vietnam U23 advances from the group stage as first or second in Group C, their Round of 16 opponent will most likely come from Group B or Group D — possibly Qatar, UAE, or another Southeast Asian team. This is the scenario many fans are dreaming of, but also where experts often underestimate the actual difficulty level.

In international youth football, the knockout stage is the domain of surprises. A team can perform excellently in the group stage but completely collapse in their first knockout match — not because of inferior skill, but because the psychological pressure of a single match deciding everything cannot be simulated in training. Vietnam U23 needs to prepare mentally for this scenario starting now, not wait until they've reached the knockout stage.

A factor often overlooked in knockout analyses is the yellow card accumulation issue. With a dense schedule, just one player receiving two yellow cards during the group stage will miss the most important knockout match. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh needs a yellow card management strategy from the very first match — identifying indispensable players for the knockout stage and minimizing their exposure to unnecessary card situations.

Conclusion: The Journey Has Only Just Begun

Vietnam U23 has landed in Nagoya. Thanh Nhan and his teammates are in Japan, at the organizer-arranged hotel, with the first training session scheduled for the afternoon of September 13. All the statistics from SLNA's win over Hanoi FC, all the tactical analyses, all the group stage predictions — they are all just background data. Football is not played on paper, and Asiad 20 will verify everything on the pitch.

The most anticipated thing is not the result of the match against Kuwait on September 15, but how Vietnam U23 approaches that match — will the team play with the confidence from the V-League victory, or with the caution of a team that knows its limits? The answer will shape the entire campaign, and it will come in less than 48 hours.