The South Korean men's and women's soccer teams are set to compete in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games, aiming for a joint advancement to the semifinals.
The U-23 men's team, led by coach Lee Min-seong, will face Vietnam in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 25 at 7:30 PM at Nagoya's Mizuho Park Rugby Stadium.
South Korea topped Group D with two wins, defeating Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Vietnam secured the second spot in Group C.
This match serves as a chance for redemption for South Korea, which lost to Vietnam in the third-place match of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup in January, falling in a penalty shootout.
A victory in the quarterfinals would bring South Korea closer to its goal of a fourth consecutive title, following wins in Incheon in 2014, Jakarta-Palembang in 2018, and Hangzhou in 2023. If they defeat Vietnam, they will face the winner of the China-Thailand match in the semifinals on September 30.
Coach Lee emphasized, "From the quarterfinals onward, it’s a knockout stage. We will play with a clear objective to achieve results."
At the same time, the women's team, under coach Shin Sang-woo, will compete against Uzbekistan in their quarterfinal match at Osaka's Nagai Stadium.
The women's team finished the group stage with two wins and one draw, earning seven points. However, they placed second in their group due to goal difference, trailing North Korea.
South Korea has a perfect record against Uzbekistan, winning all five previous encounters. Coach Shin expressed confidence, stating, "We didn’t finish second due to a collapse; luck favored North Korea. We will strive to change the color of our medal."
If they win against Uzbekistan, they will meet the winner of the Japan-Philippines match in the semifinals on September 29. Given Japan's strong performance, a potential Korea-Japan matchup in the semifinals is likely.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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