Sixteen teams will compete in the 2023 AFC U20 Asian Cup finals. (Source: AFC) The draw for the final round was held in Tashkent city of Uzbekistan on October 26.
Sixteen teams will compete in the round, namely Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Japan, Jordan, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Oman, Tajikistan, Iran, Australia, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, China, Iraq, and Syria.
Vietnam are one of the five second-placed teams with the best results in the qualifying round.
Among the rivals of Vietnam in Group B, the U20 team of Qatar won the tournament in 2014, Iran triumphed for four times (in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976), while Australia were the runners-up in 2010.
Meanwhile, Group A gathers hosts Uzbekistan, Syria, Iraq and Indonesia; Group C consists of Oman, Jordan, Tajikistan and the Republic of Korea; and Group D comprises Kyrgyzstan, China, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The four teams advancing to semifinals will earn berths at the 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup. As there are five slots for Asia at the World Cup, if Indonesia – host of the World Cup enter the Asian Cup semifinals, the two best-performing teams that lose the quarterfinals will compete in a play-off to vie for the remaining slot.
The Vietnamese team are set to play the first game at the Asian Cup against Australia on March 1, 2023, and then Qatar and Iran./.
VNA
