The gaps need to be filled.

The Vietnamese U20 women's football team recently went through difficult matches at the 2026 AFC U20 Women's Championship finals, held in Thailand. With the national women's football team showing signs of fatigue, as the majority of the starting lineup is over 30, the tournament attracted particular attention because the young players participating are seen as a potential source of talent for the national team in the coming years.

In a group that includes the U20 women's teams of China, Thailand, and Bangladesh, theoretically, the goal for the Vietnamese U20 women's team is to compete with the Thai U20 women's team for second place and secure a direct ticket to the quarterfinals. To achieve this goal, the Vietnamese girls need at least points in the match against the host team, Thailand, and a win against Bangladesh. From a professional standpoint, the matches against Thailand and China are considered a benchmark for the current level of the Vietnamese U20 women's team and the future of the national women's football team.

Unfortunately, the Vietnamese U20 women's team suffered convincing defeats in both of the aforementioned matches. In the match against the Chinese U20 women's team, the young Vietnamese girls barely controlled the ball, falling far behind their opponents in terms of technique, tactics, height, and strength. The 0-3 defeat didn't fully reflect the difference in skill level. In the crucial match against Thailand, the Vietnamese U20 women's team lost 1-4. They lost not only in terms of the score, but more importantly, in terms of basic individual technique, speed, tackling ability, finishing skills, and tactical execution. There were numerous errors in ball control and inaccurate passes, especially in the first half.

Women's football in Southeast Asia is undergoing a significant transformation with the increasing participation of players with "Western" backgrounds – players whose basic techniques are not much inferior to those of male players, and who also possess ideal physical attributes. To maintain its leading position in the region and be able to compete confidently against top Asian teams like China, Australia, and Japan, Vietnamese women's football needs even more significant changes, especially in basic technique, not just physical strength. A glimmer of hope from players like Thanh Hieu, Hong Yeu, and Thuy Linh of the current U20 women's team is not enough for Vietnamese women's football in the near future.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nhung-khoang-trong-can-duoc-lap-day-744610.html