Viet Tri, 29 June, 2025 – Vietnam women’s national team kicked off their 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign in style with a dominant 7-0 win over Maldives on June 29 at Viet Tri Stadium. The emphatic victory puts coach Mai Duc Chung’s side in a favorable position atop Group E, especially after UAE – their main rival in the group – was held to a goalless draw by Guam.
Speaking after the match, head coach Mai Duc Chung emphasized the team’s intent to showcase their improvement:
“We wanted a big win to reflect all the hard work the team has put in. However, the players missed many clear chances, including a penalty. In the second half, they seemed to hesitate, perhaps due to overconfidence after the first-half scoreline. We aimed to entertain the fans, but there was room for improvement. It could have easily been 8-0 or 9-0. We’ll try to be more clinical in the next games.”
Addressing the decision not to start veteran striker Huynh Nhu, the coach explained:
“It’s not that Huynh Nhu is performing poorly. She’s been out for a while, is older now, and her physical condition and match sharpness have changed. That’s why I didn’t start her.”
The Tra Vinh-born forward, who came on in the second half, missed a golden opportunity to score from the penalty spot in injury time.
Coach Mai Duc Chung also praised young forward Ngoc Minh Chuyen, who scored Vietnam’s sixth goal before halftime:
“Minh Chuyen is very fast. This was her first official match, and she’s showing real progress. I expect a lot from her as she adapts to the national team setup.”
The 2004-born player, a former top scorer at the AFF U19 Women’s Championship, left a strong impression in her senior debut.
On the other side, Maldives head coach Mohamed Athif acknowledged the gap in quality but took pride in his team’s spirit:
“We were 0-6 down at halftime but only conceded once more in the second half. For a country like Maldives, where it’s difficult to advocate for women to play football due to social norms, this performance was already a big step. We don’t have a women’s domestic league and can only train with youth boys’ teams.”
Athif added: “The players celebrated saving a penalty because it’s a moment of pride – not just about winning, but achieving something meaningful, like stopping a strong team like Vietnam from scoring again. They enjoyed the game and I believe they will improve day by day. Facing Vietnam, who I’ve seen compete at the Asian Cup and World Cup, was a major challenge. With their speed, skill, and confidence, Vietnam are clearly the strongest team in the group.”
Vietnam will next face UAE in their second group match on July 2, with a win likely securing top spot and a ticket to the final tournament.
Hong Phuc
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