Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club will play the match of their lifetime against the strongest team in China.

Determination of Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club

"I returned to Vietnam to play for Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club to contribute to my beloved team, with the hope of having a memorable journey at the AFC Champions League (Asian Cup C1), a tournament in which the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Team will represent the colors of Vietnam," Huynh Nhu shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper in mid-2024, when she decided to leave Lank FC to return home.

Huynh Nhu once longed to go abroad again, after ending her journey at Lank FC. The striker born in 1991 still wanted to try his hand at another foreign destination in the final years of his career. However, that wish was temporarily put on hold, because the Ho Chi Minh City women's team needed players of the same class and experience as Huynh Nhu on their journey to the big sea of ​​Asia. As for Huynh Nhu, the experience of playing in the Asian Cup 1 was attractive enough to agree to reunite.

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club reverses the flow to defeat Abu Dhabi Country in the semi-finals

PHOTO: KHA HOA

After nearly a year, perhaps Huynh Nhu and the HCMC Women's Club could not have imagined that their adventure at the Asian Cup 1 would be so memorable.

After an excellent group stage finish as runners-up, Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi and her team made a historic comeback in the quarterfinals with a 5-4 victory over Abu Dhabi Country (UAE), despite being 0-3 down. Regardless of whether they reach the final or not, the HCMC Women's Club has at least made it into Asia's top 4. Huynh Nhu and her teammates have gone further than Urawa Red Diamonds, the strongest women's team in Japan (eliminated by Wuhan Jiangda in the quarterfinals).

Having reached the semi-finals, nothing can stop the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club from dreaming. The Vietnamese women's football representative arrived in Wuhan (China) on the morning of May 18. The whole team had 3 days of training to get used to the field, climate and competition conditions. Although the team will not have full strength until the day after China (because K'Thua and Thuy Trang just joined the team after the end of the 2025 AFC Futsal Championship), the preparation process of the Ho Chi Minh City women's team is still considered thorough.

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club (red shirt) is ready to create more miracles

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Coach Kim Chi and her players gathered in early May in Ho Chi Minh City, then went to Hanoi to practice while waiting to compete in China. The training process continued in Wuhan, with high-intensity tactical training sessions. Coach Kim Chi analyzed for her players the weaknesses revealed in the group stage and quarter-finals such as defending high balls, one-on-one battles, and zonal defense, while also practicing their signature moves such as long shots and counterattacks.

Miracle, why not?

The Ho Chi Minh City women's team also "played big" when they extended the contracts of midfielder Aubrey Goodwill, striker Sabrina Marie Cabrera (USA), Vietnamese-American player Ashley Tram Anh, and recruited midfielder Maria Jamila Khan (US-Pakistani origin), midfielder Sakura Yoshida (US-Japanese origin) and Vietnamese-Canadian midfielder Nguyen Hoang Nam Mi, who had 3 trial sessions with the Vietnam women's team and was assessed by coach Mai Duc Chung as having good physique and legs.

All of those additions, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club reserved for only 1 match. Coach Kim Chi and her team have prepared very carefully to create a miracle, even though they are facing Wuhan Jiangda, the strongest team in China, with all the best players from domestic to foreign players and home field advantage.

With foreign players and overseas Vietnamese filling positions that require high physical strength and fighting spirit such as center back, striker or central midfielder, the HCMC women's club has a balanced squad. The defense has Goodwill, Chuong Thi Kieu, the midfield combines the techniques of Maria Khan, Yoshida with the ability to create breakthroughs of Nam Mi. And in the attack, Sabrina is ready to become a "decoy" to create a wall to open up space for Huynh Nhu and Thuy Trang to exploit.

"The whole team has prepared very carefully, especially with the appearance of foreign players and overseas Vietnamese, the HCMC women's team has both quality and confidence," Huynh Nhu shared. "We will bring joy to the fans."

Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club will raise the flag of Vietnamese women's football in the semi-final match of the Asian Cup 1 against Wuhan Jiangda at 3:00 p.m. on May 21, at the Wuhan Sports Center Stadium.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/clb-nu-tphcm-se-choi-tran-dau-de-doi-truoc-doi-bong-manh-nhat-trung-quoc-185250519172433634.htm