Vietnam women's football team reach Asiad 2026 quarter-finals after draw with Thailand

The Vietnam women's national football team officially qualified for the quarter-finals of the women's football event at the 2026 Asian Games after Myanmar and Bangladesh drew 0-0 in their final Group F match. That result helped coach Hoang Van Phuc's side move above Myanmar in the ranking of the best third-placed teams. Vietnam then drew 0-0 with Thailand in their final group match, a result that was enough to secure a place in the last eight without relying on any other outcome. Before the match against Thailand, Vietnam knew that Myanmar and Bangladesh had drawn 0-0. Therefore, one point would be enough to advance. However, coach Hoang Van Phuc insisted that the team did not enter the match merely to protect a draw, but to win. "Before the match with Thailand, we already knew Myanmar and Bangladesh had drawn 0-0. So we needed at least one point to advance. But the Vietnam women's team prepared for this match with the mindset not of playing for one point, but of winning," the coach said. Thailand changed their approach compared with the previous two matches. They used three centre-backs, pushed their wing-backs high, and at times deployed five players in midfield. As a result, Vietnam struggled to control the middle of the pitch in the first half. After adjustments, Vietnam played more stably and pressed Thailand high in the second half. The team created two or three clear chances, especially for Bich Thuy and Vu Thi Hoa, but could not convert them. Coach Hoang Van Phuc admitted that the attacking line still needs improvement, as Vietnam scored only one goal in three group matches. "Apart from Japan, who have a much higher level, Vietnam had clear scoring opportunities, especially against Chinese Taipei. Against Thailand, the nature of the match was different because one point was enough. If we had pushed the team higher, we could have scored, but we could not take that risk," he explained. In the quarter-finals, Vietnam will face China, one of the strongest teams in Asia. The two sides met during a pre-tournament training camp, and the coach acknowledged that China are superior. "We already played China in our training camp before the tournament. They are better than Vietnam. For now, we need to help the players recover, then we will decide on the playing style. The most likely approach is defensive counter-attacking," said Phuc. The match between Vietnam and China in the quarter-finals of the women's football event at the 2026 Asian Games will take place at 5:00 p.m. on September 25, Vietnam time. Reaching the last eight is a significant achievement for Vietnam, but the team's limited scoring output has raised concerns. With only one goal in three matches, Vietnam will need to find sharper finishing before facing China. Defensive counter-attacking could be the key, but the team must make better decisions in the final third to create any chance of advancing further.