The Vietnamese women's football team concludes a challenging journey

The Vietnamese women's team started the tournament with a dramatic 2-1 victory over India. In this match, coach Mai Duc Chung's players played proactively and created many opportunities. Midfielder Ngan Thi Van Su shone with a brace, including a decisive goal in stoppage time, helping the Vietnamese team secure all 3 points in their opening match.

However, the turning point of the group stage came in the second match when the Vietnamese women's team faced Chinese Taipei. Against a disciplined opponent who utilized opportunities better, the Vietnamese girls lost 0-1. This result made the situation in Group C more difficult, forcing the Vietnamese women's team to face a very big challenge in the final match.

In the decisive match against Japan - the team rated strongest in the group and a top contender for the championship - the Vietnamese women's team competed with high determination. Against an opponent superior in class and physical strength, coach Mai Duc Chung's players proactively played defensively, trying to limit pressure and waiting for counter-attack opportunities.

Nevertheless, against the strength of the team that has won the Asian championship many times, the Vietnamese women's team still had to accept defeat. Japan controlled the game for most of the playing time, continuously creating dangerous attacks and utilizing opportunities well to secure a 4-0 victory, thereby affirming the position of one of the continent's top teams.

After this match, coach Mai Duc Chung frankly acknowledged the disparity in level between the two teams, while also recognizing the efforts of his players.

Coach Mai Duc Chung shared: "We tried our best, but the opponent was very strong. The hot weather also significantly affected the players' physical condition. There were moments when the team lost composure and lacked necessary concentration, so the coordination was not truly effective."

The Vietnamese women's team coach said that in the second half, the players performed better and created some dangerous opportunities, but lack of precision in final handling situations prevented the team from scoring.

Coach Mai Duc Chung also stated that the harsh weather conditions in Australia, especially playing during midday hours, caused many players like Thanh Nha, Van Su, or Duong Thi Van to face physical difficulties, significantly affecting their ability to maintain playing pace.

Although stopping at the group stage, this tournament still brought many valuable experiences for the Vietnamese women's team, especially for young players competing for the first time at a continental stage. According to coach Mai Duc Chung, the coaching staff will continue to evaluate the squad, draw necessary lessons to prepare better for upcoming international tournaments.

Being exposed to strong opponents like Japan or Chinese Taipei is seen as an important opportunity for the Vietnamese women's team to accumulate experience, aiming to improve their level and continue affirming their position in Southeast Asia as well as on the continental stage.