Thailand, 8 April 2026 – Vietnam U20 women’s team made history at the continental tournament by officially advancing past the group stage of the 2026 AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup.
They secured a 1-0 victory over Bangladesh U20 women’s team in their final group match. This win helped coach Okiyama Masahiko and his players finish third in Group A, keeping their hopes alive for a place in the quarterfinals.
Vietnam would only have been eliminated if both scenarios had occurred simultaneously: Uzbekistan defeating Jordan by three goals (or Jordan beating Uzbekistan by four goals), and Chinese Taipei defeating India by four goals (or India beating Chinese Taipei by seven goals).
However, those scenarios did not materialize. India U20 women’s team defeated Chinese Taipei 3-1 to finish third in Group C. Although India also had 3 points like Vietnam, their goal difference was -9, worse than Vietnam’s -5.
As a result, without needing to wait for the outcome of the Uzbekistan vs Jordan match at 20:00, coach Okiyama Masahiko and his team officially secured a place in the quarterfinals. This marks the first time in more than 20 years that Vietnam U20 women’s team have progressed beyond the group stage of the tournament.
In the quarterfinals, Vietnam will face Japan U20 Women’s National Football Team, who topped Group C after a 5-2 win over Australia. The match is scheduled for 20:00 on April 11 at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand. If Vietnam can pull off an upset against Japan, they will qualify for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup for the first time in history.
VSN/RPT
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