Nguyen Dinh Bac wins top scorer award at AFC U23 Asian Cup

Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac capped a landmark AFC U23 Asian Cup for Vietnam by claiming the tournament’s top scorer award, as the team finished third for their second-best result in the competition’s history.

Vietnam secured third place, behind only their runners-up finish in 2018, after a thrilling 7-6 penalty shootout victory over powerhouse the Republic of Korea on January 23 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Bac scored one goal and provided an assist in the match, which finished 2-2 after regulation time at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium.

The 21-year-old ended the tournament with four goals and two assists across six matches, from the group stage to the third-place playoff, where Vietnam faced strong opposition including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In the final match on January 24, Japan defeated China 4-0, defending their continental title and becoming the first team to win the tournament three times./.