2026 Asian Women's Football Championship: Vietnam National Team Secures 3 Precious Points on Opening Day

Entering the tournament with high determination, Coach Mai Duc Chung and his players quickly imposed their game. Right from the opening minutes, the Vietnam women's team dominated ball possession, continuously exploited the flanks, and created significant pressure on the Indian goal.

In the 14th minute, Bich Thuy unleashed a shot that hit the crossbar, much to the team's regret. Not long after, Huynh Nhu had a one-on-one opportunity with goalkeeper Panthoi but failed to convert. The sustained pressure finally paid off in the 30th minute when Ngan Thi Van Su skillfully maneuvered outside the box and placed a technical shot into the top corner, opening the scoring for the Vietnam team.

After the breakthrough goal, the match was completely controlled by the players in red. Meanwhile, India hardly created any significant chances against goalkeeper Kim Thanh's goal in the first half.

However, drama unfolded at the start of the second half. In the 52nd minute, from a hesitant defensive clearance, the ball fell perfectly for Nongrum who quickly finished from close range, equalizing 1-1 for India.

After the equalizer, the Vietnam women's team pushed their formation higher in attack. Van Su and Bich Thuy had consecutive opportunities, but the excellence of goalkeeper Panthoi coupled with some lack of precision in finishing meant the second goal remained elusive during regular playing time.

It wasn't until the match entered stoppage time, with the risk of a draw looming, that the decisive moment arrived. In the 90+4th minute, an Indian defender made an unconvincing clearance inside the penalty area. Van Su reacted with lightning speed, pouncing to volley the ball into the net, sealing a 2-1 victory amidst the team's eruption of joy.

This hard-fought and deserved victory allowed the Vietnam women's team to secure all 3 points on their opening day, creating a crucial advantage in the race for a Quarter-final spot. In their next match, Coach Mai Duc Chung's side will face Chinese Taipei – a team that just lost 0-2 to Japan in their opening game.