Perth, 10 March 2026 – Vietnam suffered a heavy 0–4 defeat to Japan in their final Group C match on the afternoon of March 10, bringing an end to their campaign at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and their hopes of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Heading into the match, Vietnam’s objective was clear: avoid defeat against Japan, or at least limit the loss to no more than two goals. Under that scenario, the team coached by Mai Duc Chung could still maintain a chance of reaching the quarterfinals, although their fate would depend on India causing an upset against Chinese Taipei in the other Group C fixture.
However, neither condition materialized. In the match played at the same time, Chinese Taipei defeated India 3–1, eliminating any remaining possibilities for Vietnam to advance.
With a defensive strategy in mind, Mai Duc Chung made several changes to the starting lineup compared to the previous two matches. Players such as Khong Thi Hang, Luong Thi Thu Thuong, Tran Thi Hai Linh, Vu Thi Hoa, and Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang were included from the start. Vietnam focused primarily on a compact defensive approach, attempting to counterattack when opportunities arose. Nevertheless, their attacks lacked sharpness and rarely threatened Japan, currently ranked No.1 in Asia and No.8 in the world.
After sustained pressure, Japan finally broke through in the 21st minute. From a cross delivered by Yui Hasegawa on the right flank, Riko Ueki, the West Ham striker, positioned herself perfectly and headed the ball past goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang to give Japan the lead.
Without several crucial saves from the Vietnamese goalkeeper, the scoreline could have been even more unfavorable before halftime.
Vietnam still had a slim chance of progressing if they managed to keep the score at 0–1, but that hope quickly disappeared early in the second half. Japan intensified their attacking play and scored three more goals in quick succession. Maika Hamano found the net in the 51st minute, followed by Aoba Fujino in the 64th minute, and substitute Kiko Seike in the 67th minute, sealing a convincing 4–0 victory.
With the defeat, Vietnam finished third in Group C and dropped to the bottom among the best third-placed teams. Although they were level on points with the Philippines, Vietnam’s inferior goal difference (–4 compared with –2) meant they missed out on a place in the quarterfinals.
The outcome was considered disappointing for Vietnam, who had entered the tournament with careful preparation and a favorable schedule that allowed them to face lower-ranked opponents before meeting Japan. However, a narrow 2–1 victory over India followed by an unexpected 0–1 defeat to Chinese Taipei ultimately pushed the team into a difficult position and ended their hopes of returning to the Women’s World Cup after their historic debut in 2023.
The 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is being held from March 1 to March 21 across three Australian cities: Sydney, Perth, and Gold Coast. A total of 12 teams are competing in three groups, with the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
The four semifinalists will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The four quarterfinal losers will compete in playoff matches to determine two additional qualification spots. The remaining teams will then enter an intercontinental playoff involving representatives from Africa, South America, North and Central America, Oceania, and Europe, where three final World Cup spots will be decided in February 2027.
VSN/RPT
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