'Vietnam's Cha Eun-woo!'
The South Korea U-23 national soccer team, led by coach Lee Min-sung, drew 2-2 with Vietnam on the 24th (Korean time) at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup third-place match and then lost 6-7 in a penalty shootout.
It is the first U-23 loss to Vietnam in the history of Korean soccer. South Korea suffered a 0-2 thrashing by Uzbekistan in this tournament, a 0-1 defeat to Japan in the semifinals, and now created a dark chapter by also losing to Vietnam. Having been taken down by a Southeast Asian team, Korea has been relegated to second-rate status even in Asia.
It was a defeat with no excuses. South Korea conceded the opening goal to Nguyen Quoc Viet in the 30th minute of the first half. Kim Tae-won scored the equalizer in the 24th minute of the second half, but conceded again just two minutes later.
In the 41st minute of the second half, Vietnam forward Nguyen Van Binh was sent off. In South Korea's crisis of defeat, Shin Min-ha's dramatic equalizer came in the 52nd minute of the second half. South Korea, facing Vietnam with one fewer player, failed to finish the match in extra time. They ultimately lost in the penalty shootout.
Vietnam goalkeeper Cao Van Binh became a hero by perfectly saving the shot from South Korea's seventh kicker Bae Hyun-seo. At 183 cm, he is short for a goalkeeper but has attracted even more attention for his pleasant looks.
'Vietnam Express' praised, "Cao Van Binh is the hero who greatly contributed to the team's third-place finish at the U23 Asian Championship. With fair skin and a height of 183 cm, he attracts attention from female fans. His looks are comparable to Korea actor Cha Eun-woo."
Cao Van Binh became a hot topic for regularly posting videos of himself singing and dancing on TikTok. With his outstanding football skills added to that, he earned the nickname 'Vietnam's Cha Eun-woo.'
The outlet revealed the secret of his popularity, saying, "Cao Van Binh has fair skin and great height. He is a player who enjoys singing and dancing in his daily life. He has a bright personality and many friends."
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