China U23 Defeat Ten-Man Vietnam 3-0, Historic First Asian Cup Final!

On January 21, in the 2026 U23 Asian Cup semifinal, China U23 beat a ten-man Vietnam 3-0, reaching the final for the first time in history. They will face defending champions Japan on January 24 at 23:00.

In the first half, goalkeeper Li Hao made multiple key saves and drew a yellow card, while Yang Xi missed a clear chance. In the second half, Peng Xiao and Xiang Yuwang scored two goals within five minutes, with Xiang celebrating like CR7’s famous “SIUU.” At minute 73, Peng Xiao’s goal was ruled offside by VAR. Vietnam’s Bai Helamu was red-carded for punching, leaving them with ten men. Wang Yudong sealed the 3-0 victory in stoppage time.

China U23 set multiple records:
✅ First-ever Asian Cup final appearance
✅ Five matches unbeaten, including a clean sheet in the semifinal
✅ Scored 3 goals in a single match, more than their total from the previous four games
✅ A win against Japan would secure their first U23 Asian Cup title

Highlights: Kuai Jiwen’s rapid runs blocked, Peng Xiao’s precise passes, Bao Shengxin’s long-range shots, and Li Hao’s heroic saves kept Vietnam’s attacks at bay.

Starting XI (China U23, 5-3-2)
GK: 16-Li Hao
DF: 23-Yang Xi, 4-Wumiti Jiang Yusupu, 15-Peng Xiao, 5-Liu Haofan, 2-Hu Hetao
MF: 21-Bao Shengxin (63’20-Li Zhenquan), 18-Chen Zezhi (70’6-Xu Bin), 13-Wang Bohao (89’22-Mao Weijie)
FW: 11-Kuai Jiwen (70’10-Wang Yudong), 7-Xiang Yuwang (70’9-Bai Helamu)