'Flaws' in the big victory of the Vietnamese women's team

The Vietnamese women's team easily poured goals into the Maldives (7-0) and UAE (6-0) in the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers, but there were still some concerns, as the younger generation had not shown much.

Vietnam women's team difficult to rejuvenate

2 wins, 13 goals against Maldives and UAE show that the "machine" of the Vietnamese women's team is still running smoothly, despite having gone 18 months without any official tournament.

Coach Mai Duc Chung was once worried about the inertia of the women's team, however, the superior level still helped Huynh Nhu and her teammates almost certainly pass the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers. A ticket to the Asian Cup finals is a mandatory goal, because this playground is a bridge to the World Cup - the arena that the Vietnamese women's team longs to return to again.

Duong Thi Van (No. 16) and the Vietnamese women's team are getting closer to the 2026 Asian Cup finals.

PHOTO: MINH TU

With a level superior to the opponents in the same group such as Maldives (ranked 163), UAE (ranked 117) and Guam (ranked 97), the Vietnamese women's team won as a matter of course. Even in the final match against Guam (4 points after 2 matches), coach Mai Duc Chung and his team were capable of winning big to complete the qualifying round with 9 full points.

However, in the development strategy of Vietnamese women's football, the target is to be in the top 5 of Asia and to participate in the next World Cups. The Vietnamese women's team is currently ranked 6th in Asia, but remember, the gap from the top 6 to the top 5 of Asia is always very far.

The "big sister" class of the continent including Japan, South Korea, China, Australia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has created a huge gap with the rest in terms of expertise, class, experience and physical qualities.

Highlights of Vietnam women's team 6-0 UAE: Closer to the final round | Asian Cup qualifiers

To reach new heights, the Vietnamese women's team needs to focus on the youth. That is why coach Mai Duc Chung always "braves the sun and rain" to watch all the matches of the national women's championship and the Vietnam U.19 team. In the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers, besides winning as an obvious task, "general" Chung wants to see the maturity of young players.

But, unfortunately, after 2 matches, as well as throughout the entire preparation journey, the team's performance was like a solo performance by the seniors. It was still Bich Thuy (1994), My Anh (1994), Nguyen Thi Van (1997), Thai Thi Thao (1995), Pham Hai Yen (1994), Chuong Thi Kieu (1995), Huynh Nhu (1991) who played the main role despite being on the other side of their career slope.

Ngoc Minh Chuyen (number 19) is the only truly young player with a place in the Vietnamese women's team.

PHOTO: MINH TU

Ngoc Minh Chuyen (2003) is the only U.22 player who has made it into the team and made an impression. She is also a rare face worthy of being called "young" in the Vietnamese women's team. Other players such as Tran Thi Duyen (2000), Luong Thi Thu Thuong (2000) or Ngan Thi Van Su (2001) have all played for the team for over 4 years and are no longer young.

Where is the next class?

It's hard to blame the younger generation, because when the glory of the 1994-1995 generation was too great, the next generation found it difficult to show themselves in both the club and the national team due to the pressure of competition and comparison.

The 2001 generation, which was the first generation to be nurtured by former coach Akira Ijiri in the Vietnam U.19 women's team in 2020, was expected to succeed their seniors. However, Tran Thi Hai Linh and Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha continuously struggled with injuries leading to their absence, leaving only Ngan Thi Van Su remaining, but only as a "substitute".

The 2003-2005 generation is the next generation that is expected, but their mark is not much. In the recent shortlisting, Mr. Mai Duc Chung eliminated 2 young players, Ho Thi Thanh Thao (2004) and Nguyen Hoang Nam Mi (2005) because they did not meet the professional requirements. Before that, Luu Thi Nhu Quynh (2004) was also removed because she did not show anything.

At the age of 30, Thai Thi Thao is still a mainstay in the midfield.

PHOTO: MINH TU

The young players who finished second in the 2023 U.19 Southeast Asian tournament had many potential names for the national team such as Thanh Thao, Minh Chuyen, Nhat Lan... but in the end, only Minh Chuyen was trusted.

Minh Chuyen is a talent of Thai Nguyen women's team, a team taken over by a business and heavily invested in youth training.

The remaining youth centers such as Hanoi women's and Ho Chi Minh City women's are gradually falling behind. Hanoi women's were eliminated from the National Cup group stage for two consecutive years and played poorly in the U.19 national women's team, while Ho Chi Minh City women's team last year did not even have enough players to form the Ho Chi Minh City II team to play in the cup.

When the next generation fades, the Vietnamese women's team finds it difficult to advance to a new level.

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/san-trong-chien-thang-dam-cua-doi-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-185250704094310272.htm