Vietnam Women's Team Reach Asiad 2026 Quarterfinals: A Historic Ticket and the Attacking Puzzle

Vietnam Women's National Team officially secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Asian Games after Myanmar and Bangladesh played out a 0-0 draw in Group F. That result meant Vietnam remained above Myanmar in the ranking of best third-placed teams, and a 0-0 draw with Thailand was enough to confirm their progress. Head coach Hoang Van Phuc said his side prepared for the match with the mindset of winning, not just securing a single point. Thailand set up with three centre-backs and wing-backs pushing high, sometimes using five midfielders, which made it difficult for Vietnam to control the midfield in the first half. After tactical adjustments, Vietnam pressed high in the second half and created chances through Bich Thuy and Vu Thi Hoa. However, the team scored only one goal in three group matches. Coach Phuc admitted the attack needs improvement, except for the match against Japan where the gap in class was too big. He believed Vietnam had clear chances, especially against Chinese Taipei. Against Thailand, because only one point was needed to qualify, they could not take too many risks. In the quarter-finals, Vietnam will face China at 17:00 on September 25, Vietnam time. Phuc said China are stronger than Vietnam, and after the recovery period, the most likely approach will be defensive counter-attacks. The match will be a major test for Vietnam's attacking efficiency.