Even before a ball was kicked at the ASEAN U-23 Championship - officially known as the ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup 2025 - there was already a suspicion that it might be just three out of the ten competing nations that would be legitimate title contenders.
As the second round of group-stage fixtures concluded on Saturday, with every finally having taken to the field, all signs are pointing to such an outcome.
With ten sides unevenly divided into three groups, two-time defending champions Vietnam and perennial contenders Thailand had to bide their time as they sat out the opening fixture of the three-team Groups B and C.
In that time, they watched hosts Indonesia lay down an early marker with an 8-0 rout of minnows Brunei Darussalam followed by a much harder-fought 1-0 victory over Philippines.
On Saturday, the duo finally got their first taste of action at the tournament and, as expected, did not disappoint.
Vietnam were first up and comfortably notched a 3-0 win over Laos to immediately take control of Group B, given their opponents had played out a 1-1 draw with Cambodia earlier in the week.
It should perhaps come as no surprise that it was captain Khuất Văn Khang who opened the scoring with an exquisite first-time finish in the 19th minute.
Still only 22, Văn Khang already has 21 senior caps to his name and after steadily progressing through the age-group ranks -- having first caught the eye with a stunning freekick at the AFC U-16 Championship in 2018.
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Văn Khang is yet to establish himself as a regular starter with the senior side but he is largely a mainstay within the squad.
Taking a step down to under-23 level, he should be expected to play a key role in Vietnam's prospects for a third consecutive ASEAN U-23 crown.
Thereafter, it was the turn of one of the more-inexperienced members of the team to shine.
Having only made his U-23 debut last year, centre-back Nguyễn Hiểu Minh would have simply been expected to play his part if keeping things steady at the back for Vietnam and deal with any rare threat Laos might pose.
Instead, he found the time to venture forward with devastating effect - adding his team's second in the 71st minute with a powerful header from a corner, before another set-piece situation which led to a penalty-box scramble would see him eventually receive possession and lash a shot into the roof of the net.
Although the turnover rate for age-group teams is expectedly high given the expected natural progression of players to the next level, teams like Vietnam -- who often blood younger prospects with one-eye on long-term development -- can often maintain some semblance of continuity and experience.
Along with Văn Khang, goalkeeper Trần Trung Kiên is another who tasted senior success in Vietnam's ASEAN Championship triumph at the start of the year.
Exciting forward Nguyễn Đình Bắc and midfielders Nguyễn Văn Trường and Nguyễn Thái Sơn both featured on the continental stage at last year's AFC Asian Cup, while striker Nguyễn Quốc Việt is even in the running to win a third ASEAN U-23 title after being part of the victorious 2022 and 2023 squads.
This type of stability is something Thailand have also been synonymous with in the past, although there is a raw look about them at the tournament this year.
From their 23-man squad, only three have tasted senior international action and two -- Yotsakorn Burapha and Phanthamit Praphanth -- have just two and one caps respectively, with Buriram United starlet Seksan Ratree the only to have featured for a prolonged spell.
Yet, Thailand never have any shortage of talent and that was evident from their 4-0 triumph over Timor-Leste in Group C later on Saturday evening.
Still only 20 and even eligible for the next edition of the tournament, Yotsakorn has been a revelation at under-23 level with an average of a goal every other game.
It was he who duly opened the scoring against Timor-Leste when he met a corner with a thumping header into the back of the net.
By the 50th minute, the contest was effectively over courtesy of further goals from Thanawut Phochai and Seksan, before Chanawit Sealao rounded off the scoring with a deft finish in the 74th minute.
With games against Cambodia and Myanmar respectively to finish off the group stage, Vietnam and Thailand only have to avoid defeat on Tuesday to secure their passage to the semifinals -- yet it is highly likely that both will be eager to produce another statement of intent in games they should be -- on paper -- comfortably winning.
Doing just that would enhance their credentials as legitimate contenders even if Indonesia remain the current favourites, especially considering there still remains a chance the hosts miss out on the semifinals -- even if it is an unlikely prospect.
Given Indonesia could only manage a narrow win over Philippines, who in turn defeated Malaysia 2-0, a Malaysia victory over Indonesia on Monday could result in a three-way tie at the top of Group A.
And with results against the bottom team -- which would be Brunei -- not taken into account, Indonesia would actually finish behind both Philippines and Malaysia given they would have an inferior goal difference among the trio.
Of course, that scenario will simply be avoided as long as Indonesia get a point.
Then, with all due respect to whichever team qualifies as the best-placed runners-up, which -- for the moment looms as Group A's second-placed team -- the ASEAN U-23 Championship's three-horse race would be well and truly alive.