U22 Vietnam receives a special warning from coach Kim Sang-sik

Before the men's football final at SEA Games 33, coach Kim Sang-sik specifically highlighted the danger of a key player from U22 Thailand.

When assessing the opponent in the decisive gold medal match, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that U22 Thailand is a well-organized team, featuring many players with strong physicality and speed. Notably, he did not hesitate to name Yotsakorn Burapha as a player whom U22 Vietnam’s defense must be particularly cautious of.

Coach Kim Sang-sik shared: “U22 Thailand is well-structured and has many players with excellent individual skills, physical strength, and speed. Player Yotsakorn Burapha has scored multiple goals in this tournament through various techniques, so we must pay close attention to him. Player Ly Duc and all defenders need to defend well for us to achieve a good result. U22 Vietnam will strive to prepare for a strong performance.”

The warnings from the U22 Vietnam head coach are entirely justified. In the semifinal against U22 Malaysia, it was Yotsakorn Burapha who scored the only goal, helping the "War Elephants" secure a narrow 1-0 victory to advance to the final. Remarkably, it was a superb free-kick at the 8th minute, demonstrating the striker’s high ability to create breakthroughs, earning him the nickname “Mic.”

Although U22 Malaysia played with a man down very early, U22 Thailand could not add more goals. However, Yotsakorn Burapha’s impact was unmistakably clear. The striker was voted the Best Player of the match and continued to prove his role as the leading figure in the Golden Kingdom’s attack.

So far, Yotsakorn Burapha has scored 6 goals at SEA Games 33, becoming one of the tournament’s most effective scorers. His versatile finishing—ranging from long shots, free-kicks, to positioning inside the box—makes him a “dangerous spark” that every defense must be highly alert to.

After the semifinal, Yotsakorn Burapha also expressed great respect for U22 Vietnam when talking about the opponent in the final. The U22 Thailand striker emphasized: “It will be a great match. Vietnam is a very strong opponent, so we must prepare thoroughly for this confrontation.”

According to the plan, the men's football final at SEA Games 33 between U22 Vietnam and U22 Thailand will take place at 7:30 PM on December 18, 2025, at Rajamangala Stadium. Given that the opponent has a striker in excellent form like Yotsakorn Burapha, coach Kim Sang-sik’s early warnings are considered an important preparation step to help U22 Vietnam ready themselves for the biggest challenge on their quest for the gold medal.