Facing the Philippines side considered the tournament’s dark horse, head coach Kim Sang-sik made several bold changes to the starting lineup, most notably giving Cong Phuong a starting role while leaving Viktor Le on the bench.

U23 Vietnam started the match energetically, launching fluent attacks down both wings and shaking the Philippines’ goal twice within the first 10 minutes. However, close-range efforts by Dinh Bac and Anh Quan were denied by the goalposts.

Despite dominating early on, Vietnam were punished for a defensive lapse. A long throw-in by the Philippines caught the defence off guard, allowing Mariona to score from close range after two quick attempts past goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien.

Just six minutes later, Dinh Bac earned an equaliser with a rebound finish after his initial header hit the post. Near the end of the first half, Vietnam almost took the lead again, but Dinh Bac narrowly missed the target after a clever pass from Cong Phuong.

The second half saw Vietnam start shakily, with several errant passes from the back. But after weathering the early pressure, they found their rhythm again. In the 54th minute, after Cong Phuong’s header struck the crossbar, Xuan Bac capitalised with an unstoppable header to make it 2-1.

The goal shifted momentum completely in Vietnam’s favour, as they controlled 55% of possession and dictated play. Fatigue began to set in for the Philippines, limiting their ability to threaten an equaliser. In the 78th minute, Vietnam nearly extended their lead when Van Thuan missed a golden opportunity following a pinpoint cross from Phi Hoang.

In stoppage time, the Philippines' hopes of a comeback were dashed when Quoc Viet’s powerful run forced Rosquillo into a foul, earning the defender a red card. The match ended 2-1 in favour of Vietnam.

With the win, Vietnam will take on Indonesia that stunned Thailand 7-6 in a penalty shootout in another semi-final match on the same day. The final match is scheduled to take place on July 29.

Vietnam reach ASEAN U23 semis with 2-1 win over Cambodia

VOV.VN - U23 Vietnam secured a 2-1 win over U23 on July 22 to advance to the semi-finals of the 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship as Group B winners.