Serious Misconduct: Vietnamese Player Punches Bayhati, Refuses to Apologize to China; Another Escapes Punishment After Violent Actions

On January 21, during the AFC U23 Asian Cup semifinal, Vietnam U23 suffered a 0–3 defeat against China U23. However, the match was overshadowed by incidents of violent conduct that drew widespread criticism.

In the 74th minute, after Peng Xiao scored for China, Bayhati retrieved the ball from the net to resume play. At that moment, Vietnam’s No.3 center-back Pham Ly Duc suddenly approached from the side and threw a clear right-hand punch, striking Bayhati and knocking him to the ground.

Following a VAR review, the referee issued a straight red card to Pham Ly Duc, sending him off immediately and leaving Vietnam with ten men. However, due to an earlier infringement, the goal was subsequently disallowed.

After the match, Pham Ly Duc posted a statement on social media:
“Thank you to everyone who supported us. I sincerely apologize to Vietnamese fans. No amount of apology can make up for this mistake.”
Notably, his apology was directed only toward Vietnamese supporters. He did not apologize to Bayhati or to the Chinese team, a stance widely criticized as lacking sportsmanship.

Furthermore, replays showed that prior to the punch, Vietnam’s No.16 Nguyen Nhat Minh had already attempted to strike Bayhati with a punch. When that failed, he proceeded to trip him with his leg — actions that also met the criteria for a red-card offense. Despite this, he escaped punishment without even receiving a yellow card.

These incidents have sparked renewed debate over player discipline, refereeing consistency, and respect for fair play at the international level.