Vietnam women's team seeks to overcome the strength of their Australian opponents, seeking a ticket to the final

The semi-final match against the Australian women's football team (taking place at 8:00 p.m. on August 16) is the ultimate challenge on the journey to conquer the AFF Cup 2025 title of the Vietnamese women's football team.

THE STRENGTH OF THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S TEAM

After completing a smooth group stage journey with 3 wins (scoring 14 goals, conceding no goals), the Vietnamese women's team will face their first big challenge at the AFF Cup 2025. That is the match against the Australian women's team in the semi-finals at Lach Tray Stadium ( Hai Phong ) on the evening of August 16.

Vietnam women's team (right) competes with Australia in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2025

Photo: MINH TU

The Australian women's team did not bring to the AFF Cup the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup. Coach Joe Palatsides' squad is still very young (Australia has the youngest average age in the tournament), mainly U.23 and U.20. However, the Australian players have all been tested in the A-League (Australia's national women's football championship) for at least the past 2 years. This is a highly competitive playground that has honed many famous stars, including Sam Kerr, an Australian football legend who played for Chelsea Women's Club.

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In the opening match of Group B, the Australian women's team lost 1-2 to Myanmar thanks to a lucky long-range shot from the opponent and a mistake by the goalkeeper. The sweltering heat in Hai Phong also made it difficult for the kangaroo team to adapt, having to move from a cold place (it was winter in Australia) to a tropical country. However, coach Palatsides' students quickly caught up. The Australian women's team dominated the Philippines in the second match, then poured 9 goals into Timor Leste's net in the final match of the group stage.

Thanks to their physical foundation (height, muscle), endurance and superior technique, the Australian women's team can play many different tactical styles. The Oceanian representative often presses with high intensity, with a team of physically fit players, who run a lot and compete passionately. Australia tends to put a lot of pressure right from the home field, forcing opponents to play long balls and often using overwhelming strength to gain control.

Thanks to the quality of the wings, Australia can attack continuously to penetrate the deep defense. Coach Palatsides' students can turn the wing to head the ball, or exploit the second line so that good long-range strikers like Isabel Gomez and Ana Chessary can swing their legs. At the same time, Australia also attacks well in the middle, switching from defense to attack with impressive intensity thanks to young, fiery legs. Facing a comprehensive opponent who is "in form", the Vietnamese women's team needs to know themselves and their opponents to reach the final.

How to counter opponents?

Facing the "big mountain", the Vietnamese women's team has prepared carefully. As soon as he knew that the AFF Cup 2025 had Australia, coach Mai Duc Chung spent nearly a month just to train his players' physical strength. Ball-free exercises, mainly focusing on collision to increase strength and ability to compete, were thoroughly used. The 0-4 defeat to the Philippines in the AFF Cup 2022, or the losses in the World Cup 2023, showed that without good physical strength, the Vietnamese women's team has almost no chance.

Coach Mai Duc Chung and his coaching staff also studied the strengths and weaknesses of the Australian women's team. Despite their diverse physique and playing style, the Oceania representative is inexperienced, has many risky moves, sometimes loses concentration, and cannot maintain a defensive position.

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With players who have experienced many major tournaments such as Hai Yen, Huynh Nhu, Nguyen Thi Van, Diem My..., the Vietnamese women's team needs to approach the match with a "cool" head. Play firmly, maintain a stable rhythm, avoid getting caught up in a power race with younger, stronger opponents, and patiently wait for Australia to make mistakes. With agile, skillful strikers such as Van Su, Bich Thuy or Minh Chuyen, the Vietnamese women's team will be strong in counter-attacks. The important thing is whether the Vietnamese women's team's defense is tough enough to withstand Australia's "stormy" rebounds.

In the decisive match on the evening of August 16, Lach Tray Stadium will be the support for the Vietnamese women's team with the cheers of tens of thousands of spectators. To win the title, you must know how to climb high mountains!

Watch the MSIG Serenity Cup™ 2025 AFF Women's Football Championship live and in full onFPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-tim-cach-khac-che-suc-manh-doi-thu-uc-tim-ve-vao-chung-ket-185250814212114737.htm