Hai Yen and Huynh Nhu - the only striker duo of the Vietnamese women's team at the 2025 Southeast Asian tournament - Photo: PHAM KY LUAT
Winning against Cambodia is not difficult for coach Mai Duc Chung and his team, because the opponent is weak and has a new coach right before the tournament.
"I have only been leading the team for 10 days. The previous coach of the team is actually still participating in this tournament. I am just supporting him, because I don't know much about Cambodian players. It is difficult to know the ability of each player and who can do what on the field" - Coach Gyotoku Koji admitted.
No small challenge
Vietnam women's football has dominated the SEA Games with 8 gold medals, including 4 consecutive times from 2017 to 2023. However, in the Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship, the Vietnamese women's team has only won the championship 3 times (after Thailand with 4 times). The challenge is even bigger in this year's tournament when opponents like Thailand and the Philippines are both well prepared to compete for achievements.
Having been bitterly eliminated by India in the 2026 Asian Women's Football Championship qualifiers, the Thai women's team came to Vietnam determined to regain their position and prepare for the goal of winning the 33rd SEA Games gold medal at home in December.
Despite having a very young squad (22/23 players under 23 years old), coach Futoshi Ikeda's team is still formidable with two players currently playing in the US, striker Madison Casteen and midfielder Julie Gronning. Therefore, the clash between the Vietnamese and Thai women's teams in the final match of Group A on August 12 is worth watching.
But the challenge for the Vietnamese women's team will start from the semi-finals. Because in Group B, the defending champion Philippines and U23 Australia are very strong.
Since the 4-0 win over Vietnam in the semi-finals of the 2022 AFF Women's Championship and subsequent championship, the Philippines continued to defeat the Vietnamese women's team 2-1 in the group stage of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia 2023. The quality and good physique of the players returning from Europe have made the Philippines a difficult opponent to beat.
Meanwhile, Australian women's football (ranked 15th in the world ) is also completely superior to Southeast Asia. That is why after winning the 2008 Southeast Asian Women's Championship, Australia only sent U20 or U23 teams to the tournament but still achieved quite impressive results. Therefore, if they meet U23 Australian women's team in the semi-finals, it will be very difficult for the Vietnamese women's team.
Coach Mai Duc Chung's caution
Playing at home, the goal of the Vietnamese women's team is nothing other than winning the championship. To realize that ambition, coach Mai Duc Chung did not make many changes to the squad. In the list of 23 players participating in the tournament, the Vietnamese women's team has 15 players aged 30 or older.
Especially the attack line with only two players, captain Huynh Nhu (34 years old) and Pham Hai Yen (31 years old). After letting striker Tuyet Ngan (25 years old) go home to rest after appendectomy, Mr. Chung also dropped Ngoc Minh Chuyen - the 21-year-old striker who scored against the German women's club Werder Bremen in the friendly match that lost 1-4 of the Vietnamese women's team in May.
However, Mr. Chung has his reasons. He puts all his trust in the older, experienced players who are familiar with the philosophy to aim for the highest goal of reclaiming the championship title in this year's tournament.
Speaking before the tournament, Mr. Mai Duc Chung said: "Each team has made certain progress. We also watched Cambodia's friendly matches and only know how to strive to complete the goal of each match.
Playing at home is a big advantage, hopefully the audience can come in large numbers to cheer for the whole team."
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giai-bong-da-nu-dong-nam-a-2025-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-co-doi-duoc-ngo-hau-20250805233212739.htm
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