Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club has World Cup players playing in Asian tournament

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club - Photo 1.

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh at the 2023 Women's World Cup - Photo: FIFA

With the desire to maintain the achievement of reaching the semi-finals like last year, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club has invested heavily in personnel for the group stage of the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League Women's, which will kick off on November 13 at Thong Nhat Stadium.

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club has made the most of the 6 foreign player slots according to regulations by hiring central defender Aubrey Goodwill, Gorman Chloe, midfielder Sakura Yoshida, Tatiana Mason (USA), left-back Ouni Samia (Tunisia) and striker Maria Khan (US-Pakistani).

Remember last season, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club only hired a maximum of 4 foreign players for the semi-final match with Wuhan Jiangda (China).

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club also has another important addition, goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh - a former member of the team before joining Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Club in early 2024.

After parting ways with Kim Thanh, the goalkeeper position of HCMC Women's Club belonged to Quach Thu Em. Despite her excellent performance, Thu Em's limited physique has often caused HCMC Women's Club to face many difficulties when competing in the continental arena.

Therefore, when goalkeeper Kim Thanh asked to terminate her contract early with Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Club and expressed her desire to return, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club agreed.

The presence of the number 1 goalkeeper of the Vietnamese women's team, Kim Thanh, will clearly help coach Doan Thi Kim Chi and her team gain more confidence in achieving success in the 2025-2026 AFC Champions League for Women.

The Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club had two friendly matches with the Vietnam Women's Team in Hanoi on November 1 and 4. After training and playing for the Vietnam Women's Team in these two friendly matches, Kim Thanh was "specially" allowed by Coach Mai Duc Chung to return to the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club to prepare for the prestigious continental playground.

HCMC Women's Club in Group A will meet Stallion Laguna (Philippines, November 13), Lion City Sailors (Singapore, November 16), Melbourne City (Australia, November 19). The top two teams in each group and the two third-placed teams with the best results in the three groups will qualify for the quarter-finals.

After the group stage ends, goalkeeper Kim Thanh will join coach Doan Thi Kim Chi, goalkeeper coach Nguyen Thi Kim Hong, goalkeeper Quach Thu Em, center back Chuong Thi Kieu, Tran Thi Thu Thao, Cu Thi Huynh Nhu and striker Huynh Nhu to return to the Vietnamese women's team for training in Japan from November 20, to complete the final preparations for the 33rd SEA Games.

Goalkeeper was once in the top savers of the 2023 Women's World Cup

Kim Thanh played prominently for the Vietnamese women's team at the 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand.

She rose to fame when she saved a penalty from the legendary Alex Morgan, earning praise from FIFA on its website. It was the first time in 20 years that the US had had a penalty saved in a Women's World Cup finals.

At the end of the tournament, Kim Thanh entered the Top 10 "goalkeepers" with the most saves at the 2023 Women's World Cup. After 3 matches in the group stage, Kim Thanh saved 15 times, ranked 6th.

NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/clb-nu-tp-hcm-co-tuyen-thu-du-world-cup-da-giai-chau-a-20251106131535381.htm