UAE
The UAE women's team has never been considered a strong team in Asia. They are ranked 113th in the world (80 places below the Vietnamese women's team), and their achievements in regional tournaments are not comparable to those of Iran or Jordan.
UAE women's team is an interesting unknown
Photo: VFF
For many reasons, West Asian women's football has never been able to compete with East Asia. Of the five teams in the current "big sister" group of Asia, except for Australia from Oceania, Japan, South Korea, China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are all from the East. Not to mention Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, teams approaching the top 5 in Asia, are also from Southeast Asia.
However, that does not mean that other regions will forever accept being inferior to East Asia.
In the Paris Olympic qualifiers (taking place at the end of 2023), the Uzbekistan women's team caused a shock when they defeated the Vietnamese girls 1-0, thereby entering the play-off round for a ticket to the Olympics. A few years earlier, Uzbekistan was zero on the Asian map. However, thanks to the strategy of nurturing young players, encouraging the men's teams to develop in parallel with the women's team, along with the international training program, Uzbekistan's women's football has grown rapidly.
It took the Philippines less than 4 years to transform from a mid-level Southeast Asian team (behind Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar) into a formidable team, reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup and having a historic victory at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
The barrier for women's football is more fragile than that for men's football. When ambitious football nations enter the race, Asia will have new forces. Coach Mai Duc Chung affirmed that the defeat against Uzbekistan is a lesson, reminding the Vietnamese women's team to be vigilant against all opponents. From 2031, the number of places in the Women's World Cup will be increased to 48, of which Asia is likely to be allocated 8 places. Thus, more countries will participate in women's football. The UAE opponent of the Vietnamese women's team in the 2026 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers is an example.
The UAE women's team is following the same path as the Philippines, which is to naturalize many European and American players to enhance their physique and youth. In the squad that coach Vera Pauw brought to Vietnam, there are 3 faces who are playing for American university teams, including Ana Steven (Delta State University), Mia Lindborg (Seton Hill University) and Elizabeth Forshaw (Columbus State Cougars University). There is also Georgia Gibson, a midfielder who is playing for the Middlesbrough women's team on loan from Newcastle (England).
Of course, 4 naturalized players can hardly help the UAE women's team rise overnight. In the last 2 friendly matches with Malaysia, the UAE lost all (1-3 and 0-2). Coach Vera Pauw's team is still lacking in technical skills, tactics and teamwork. Up to 7 UAE women's players play for Abu Dhabi Country Club, the team that just lost 4-5 to Ho Chi Minh City women's team in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup 1. This group of players is not too outstanding in terms of expertise, only Naeema Juma (scored 5 goals in 38 matches for the UAE women's team) is noteworthy, with good sprinting and dribbling ability.
However, it cannot be said that the UAE women's team has no chance. Because with a young team that has not had much time to play together, UAE can improve day by day if they have a reasonable strategy, like the way the Philippines has risen thanks to naturalized players. The UAE women's team arrived in Vietnam 3 days early, showing their seriousness and determination in the 2026 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers.
CHALLENGE FOR VIETNAM WOMEN'S TEAM
If playing at their best, the Vietnamese women's team will not have difficulty passing the Asian qualifiers. Apart from the UAE women's team, who have improved a bit, the Guam women's team and the Maldives women's team are much weaker. The possibility of coach Mai Duc Chung's team pouring in goals is very high. Even with the UAE women's team, Huynh Nhu and her teammates will have a way to counter them.
Over the past 3 years, the Vietnamese women's team has competed with many strong football teams such as the US, Netherlands, Germany, France, Portugal, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, China... to gain valuable experience, thereby advancing to a new level.
The biggest goal of the Vietnamese women's team is to surpass themselves. Overcoming inertia after a year of not competing, rejuvenating the squad, upgrading the playing style, finding new players to replace the mainstays who are on the other side of the slope... are the goals that coach Mai Duc Chung is aiming for.
The 2026 Women's Asian Cup qualifiers will be the first stepping stone for the Vietnamese women's team to don a new coat, preparing to once again reach out to the big sea.
Thanhnien.vntho
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-sap-doi-dau-dan-sao-au-my-nhap-tich-vong-loai-asian-cup-gay-can-185250625222851996.htm
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