Opportunity to affirm the No. 1 position in Southeast Asia

VHO - Before the opening whistle of the MSIG Serenity Cup™ 2025 (Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship) had even sounded, the Vietnamese women's team had entered a challenging but hopeful race.

As the host team, having won this tournament three times, the Vietnamese team not only receives expectations from fans but also carries the mission of raising the image of women's football in the region.

The tournament will be an opportunity for the women's football team to assert its strength in the regional arena. Photo: VFF

Home advantage and the "golden" draw

According to the competition format, as the host team, the Vietnamese women's team was placed in Group A. The draw results announced on the morning of June 9 in Hanoi put the opponents of the Vietnamese women's team in Group A including: Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia. In Group B, there will be 4 teams, in addition to Timor Leste, this group will gather three formidable opponents: Australia, Philippines and Myanmar, all of whom have participated in the World Cup or have a long history of achievements in the region.

Evaluating the draw results, Head Coach of Thai Nguyen T&T Women's Football Club Van Thi Thanh said that this is an "easy" group for the Vietnamese team. We just need to focus on overcoming Thailand, then the opportunity to lead Group A is within reach. This is very important because if we finish second in the group, we will have to face one of the three "mountains" in Group B.

Indeed, avoiding Australia or the Philippines in the semi-finals will help the Vietnamese women's team have more chances to reach the final. But as Van Thi Thanh warned: "The real challenge will come from the knockout round". Therefore, the Vietnamese team needs to maintain stability and maintain high performance throughout the group stage to have a big advantage in the next round.

One of the bright spots of the current Vietnamese women's team is the combination of experience and youth. Former captain Nguyen Hien Luong shared his confidence in the ability of coach Mai Duc Chung: "Mr. Chung is an experienced person, clearly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each player. With the current force, he will know how to harmoniously combine veterans like Huynh Nhu and Tuyet Dung with a group of young, ambitious players."

After the 2023 World Cup, where the Vietnamese women's team participated for the first time, the wave of love for women's football in Vietnam seems to have had a strong change. Many children and young female players have expressed their desire to follow in the footsteps of their seniors to wear the national team jersey. This is a positive signal for the sustainable development of Vietnamese women's football in the future.

Former player Van Thi Thanh emphasized: "It is role models like Huynh Nhu who not only inspire the new generation, but are also pillars to lead the way of playing in key matches."

Although Group A is considered weaker than Group B, both coach Van Thi Thanh and former player Hien Luong emphasized that Thailand, the "traditional" rival of Vietnamese women's football, cannot be underestimated.

In the history of the AFF Women's Championship, Thailand is the most successful team with 4 championships, while Vietnam has won the championship 3 times. In addition, Indonesia, the team that won the qualifying round, is also showing significant progress, while Cambodia has surprised many times with its disciplined defensive style.

In Group B, Australia has not confirmed the squad, but if in previous years they sent the U20 or U23 youth team to participate, this year, they will likely continue this policy. According to Ms. Hien Luong, if Australia sends the youth team, this will not be too big a challenge. However, the Philippines and Myanmar are both very formidable opponents, they have many naturalized players and possess good physiques and modern playing styles.

The Philippines' 3-0 defeat of Thailand in the 2022 final to win the championship is a testament to the strong transformation of women's football in the region. With abundant physical strength and thorough investment, they are certainly an unpredictable opponent.

Steadfast on the journey of conquest

Vietnam is the current champion of SEA Games 32. This tournament is not only an opportunity to defend its reputation, but also a pivotal playground to prepare for further goals such as Olympic qualifiers or Asian Cup.

VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan affirmed that this tournament is not only a football playground but also an opportunity to “spread the love of women’s football to the younger generation” and promote the country’s image. With careful preparation from organization to expertise, the Vietnamese women’s team possesses many favorable factors to conquer the top.

Former captain Hien Luong expressed high expectations: “I believe that with the home field advantage and enthusiastic support from the audience, the Vietnamese women's team will gain more energy and confidence. This is an opportunity to prove that we are still the number 1 team in Southeast Asia.”

Taking place from August 6-19 in Vietnam, MSIG Serenity Cup™ 2025 will be an important milestone not only for Vietnamese women's football but also for the country's women's sports movement. A championship will affirm the number one position in Southeast Asia, a response to the trust and love from millions of fans.

However, to reach the podium of glory, the girls in red need to maintain their composure, play with concentration and maximize their collective strength. History will not repeat itself, but with thorough preparation, a veteran coach, experienced stars and a fiery stadium, the Vietnamese women's team has every reason to dream of winning the championship for the fourth time in the history of the tournament.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/co-hoi-khang-dinh-vi-the-so-1-dong-nam-a-141906.html