[Official] "The final match between Korea and Japan is over." U23 Asian Cup semifinal match has been confirmed

*This content was translated by AI.

The 2026 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup semifinals (semi-final), which will determine the strongest team in Asia under the age of 23, has been confirmed. The 'Great Korea-Japan Match' will be held for the finals.

South Korea, led by head coach Lee Min-sung, advanced to the semifinals by beating Australia 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the tournament at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the 18th (Korea time) thanks to Baek Gaon (Busan I'Park)'s first goal and Shin Min-ha's dramatic final goal at the end of the second half.

It is the first time in six years and three tournaments that the South Korean U-23 national team has advanced to the semifinals of the tournament since the 2020 tournament, when it reached the top. In both the 2022 and 2024 competitions, they were eliminated early in the quarterfinals. Lee Min-sung won the semifinals after reaching the quarterfinals as the second-ranked team in the group after winning four points (1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss), including a 0-2 complete defeat by Uzbekistan, two years younger, in Group C.

As South Korea qualified for the last four of this tournament, the semifinal match of this tournament was confirmed as a showdown between ▲Korea-Japan ▲Vietnam-China.

Japan, the defending champion, previously passed Group B with three wins (10 points, 0 runs) and then beat Jordan in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals. Then, as South Korea fills the last spot of the semifinal tournament, the "Football Korea-Japan match" will be held in the semifinal tournament. The stage will be held at 8:30 p.m. on the 20th at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

It is the first time in a year and nine months that a match between Korea and Japan will be held between the U-23 national teams since their group league showdown in April 2024. At that time, South Korea won 1-0 and the joy and sorrow were divided, but while South Korea was eliminated from the quarterfinals, Japan rose to the top.

In the previous record, South Korea leads with eight wins, four draws and six losses. It has recently won two consecutive games until the final of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held in 2023 and the group stage of the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup. The last time South Korea lost a match between South Korea and Japan between the U-23 national teams was a 0-3 complete defeat in the quarterfinals of the 2022 tournament. As at the time, Japan's two-year-old U-21 national team, not the U-23 national team, came forward in preparation for the Los Angeles (LA) Olympics.

In the semifinal match on the other side, Vietnam and China, led by head coach Kim Sang-sik, will compete for the final at 0:30 a.m. on the 21st at the Prince Abdullah Alfaisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Vietnam advanced to the semifinals of the tournament for the first time in eight years since the 2018 tournament (second place) led by head coach Park Hang-seo. After passing Group A in all three previous rounds, they also won 3-2 against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the quarterfinals.

China won five points (1 win, 2 draws) in Group D, passed second place, drew 0-0 with Uzbekistan, which beat South Korea earlier in the quarterfinals, and won after a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals. China scored only one goal in four games, including the quarterfinals, but continued its scoreless record, advancing to the semifinals following its first-ever tournament.

Among the teams that advanced to the semifinals, Japan has won the championship twice (2016 and 2024) and Korea once (2020). Vietnam and China are trying to win for the first time ever. The long-awaited final will be held at Prince Abdullah Alfaisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at midnight on the 24th. The third-place match between the semifinal elimination teams will be held at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium the day before. The results of this year's competition have nothing to do with qualifying for the LA Olympics.

- semifinal 1 match: South Korea vs Japan, 8:30 p.m. on the 20th

- Two semifinal games: Vietnam vs China, 0:30 a.m. on the 21st

- Final: 0:00 a.m. on the 25th

- Third place match: 0:00 a.m. on the 24th

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*This content was translated by AI.