Ho Chi Minh City Club could not create a surprise against the Japanese representative.

On the evening of October 12th at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City FC will face Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) in the final match of Group C of the AFC Champions League (Asian Women's Champions League) 2024-2025.

As head coach Nguyen Hong Pham had previously stated, Ho Chi Minh City FC played with great effort against Urawa Red Diamonds. With the home advantage and a relaxed mindset, Huynh Nhu and her teammates entered the match confidently, not hesitating to play an aggressive game against their strong Japanese opponents in the early stages.

Huynh Nhu was unable to score in her third match of the 2024-2025 AFC Women's Champions League.

Urawa Red Diamonds, considered the superior team in terms of class, dominated the game. The Japanese representatives created many attacking opportunities against Ho Chi Minh City FC, but faced fierce resistance from the home team's players. In the first 20 minutes, Ho Chi Minh City FC's defense performed well, neutralizing many of Urawa Red Diamonds' attacks.

Ho Chi Minh City FC conceded a goal due to an unfortunate situation in the 25th minute. On the right wing, Yu Endo sprinted down the wing and crossed the ball into the box. Mei Shimada attempted a backheel pass but inadvertently hit the foot of center-back Chuong Thi Kieu, changing direction and rolling into the net.

Shimada (15) and Tsunoda (14) scored for Urawa Red Diamonds Club

The Japanese representatives doubled their lead at the beginning of the second half. In the 50th minute, captain Shiokoshi dribbled down the right wing and delivered a pass that beat goalkeeper Quách Thu Em, allowing Tsunoda to tap the ball in, making the score 2-0. Immediately afterwards, Ho Chi Minh City FC also had a good opportunity. In the 55th minute, Huỳnh Như made a delicate through pass to Meghan Root, putting the American player in a favorable position, but the American player shot wide of the post when facing the opposing goalkeeper.

In the latter half of the second half, the Ho Chi Minh City FC players showed signs of fatigue. In their attacking plays, foreign players Meghan Root and Huynh Nhu were too isolated. Conversely, the Japanese team also proactively slowed down the pace of the game after creating a fairly safe lead.

Assistant coach Doan Thi Kim Chi and Ho Chi Minh City FC have reached the quarter-finals of the 2024-2025 AFC Women's Champions League.

Ultimately, Ho Chi Minh City FC lost 0-2 to Urawa Red Diamonds. Although Huynh Nhu and her teammates couldn't pull off an upset against their strong Japanese opponents, they still advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 AFC Women's Champions League, finishing second in Group C. The quarterfinals will begin in March 2025.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cup-c1-nu-chau-a-clb-tphcm-khong-the-tao-bat-ngo-truoc-dai-dien-nhat-ban-185241012205702727.htm