Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, January 24, 2026 — A stunning penalty shootout defeat to Vietnam has eliminated the Republic of Korea U-23 national team from the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, but the result is shadowed by the role of former Korean goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae, now coaching Vietnam’s goalkeepers.
A Historic Upset and a Familiar Face
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The Republic of Korea suffered its first-ever loss to Vietnam in the U-23 age group, falling 6-7 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw in Jeddah.
- Korea had previously dominated Vietnam at this level with six wins and three draws.
- The match ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and remained tied through overtime.
- Vietnam goalkeeper Cao Van Binh’s decisive save sealed the victory.
- Lee Woon-jae, a Korean legend, is now the goalkeeper coach for Vietnam.
The U-23 national team, coached by Lee Min-seong, drew 2-2 with Vietnam after the initial 90 minutes of the third-place match at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium. Overtime failed to produce a winner, leading to the nail-biting penalty shootout where Korea ultimately faltered.
A Series of Setbacks
This defeat marks a low point for Korean football, as a penalty shootout loss is immediately recorded as a defeat, regardless of the preceding draw. Korea has struggled under coach Lee Min-seong, suffering seven losses in practice matches, friendlies, and the current U-23 Asian Cup – to Australia, Saudi Arabia (twice), China, Uzbekistan, Japan, and now, Vietnam.
Nguyen Quoc Viet opened the scoring for Vietnam in the 30th minute, giving them a 1-0 lead. Kim Tae-won equalized for Korea in the 24th minute of the second half, but Nguyen Dinh Park quickly restored Vietnam’s advantage with a free kick in the 26th minute. Despite a late red card for Dean Park in the 41st minute, giving Korea a man advantage, Shin Min-ha’s dramatic goal in the 52nd minute of added time forced the game into overtime. Korea’s 32-5 advantage in shots proved futile.
The Penalty Shootout Decider
The decisive moment came in the penalty shootout when Korea’s seventh kicker, Bae Hyeon-seo, had his shot saved by Vietnam’s goalkeeper, Cao Van Binh. Vietnam converted all seven of their penalties, securing a 7-6 victory. Cao Van Binh’s save was a pivotal moment in the match.
Lee Woon-jae’s Unexpected Role
The spotlight now falls on Lee Woon-jae, who has been coaching the Vietnam A national team and U-23 national team goalkeepers since November 2024. The former Korean international is credited with preparing Cao Van Binh for his crucial save.
A Korean Legend
Lee Woon-jae is a celebrated figure in Korean football history, having earned 133 caps for the national team between 1994 and 2010 – the fourth-most appearances, behind Son Heung-min (140 games), Hong Myung-bo, and Cha Bum-geun (136 games). He was the starting goalkeeper for the Korean national team during their historic run to the semifinals of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
His most iconic moment came in the quarterfinal against Spain, where he saved Joaquin Sánchez’s penalty in the shootout, propelling Korea to the semifinals. Throughout the 2002 tournament, Lee Woon-jae provided a stable and confident presence in goal.
Lee Woon-jae also enjoyed a successful club career, winning four K-League championships and the Asian Club Championship (now the AFC Champions League) with Suwon Samsung Bluewings. In 2008, he became the first goalkeeper to win the K-League MVP award and was a four-time K-League Best 11 selection.
Known for his exceptional penalty-saving ability, Lee Woon-jae blocked 26 of 58 penalties during his K-League career, achieving a league-best save rate of 44.8 percent. The composure and decisive save displayed by Cao Van Binh in the shootout are seen as a direct result of Lee Woon-jae’s expertise.
Ironically, the moment of heartbreak for Korea came at the hands of Lee Woon-jae, a symbol of Korean football’s penalty shootout success.
