Vietnam Women's Team Reach Asiad 2026 Quarterfinals: One Point Enough to Advance, But Attack Needs Improvement

Before the final whistle against Thailand had fully faded, coach Hoang Van Phuc allowed himself a quiet breath. Not because the Vietnamese women's team had played a brilliant match, but because a few hours earlier Myanmar and Bangladesh had drawn 0-0 in Group F. That result turned Vietnam's goalless draw with Thailand into a ticket for the quarter-finals of women's football at the 2026 Asian Games. Fans may regret the lack of goals, but in a short tournament, knowing how to calculate is a valuable quality. Yet this ticket raises more questions than answers about the team's real strength. Football in the knockout rounds has no room for prolonged safety. Before the match against Thailand, the coaching staff already understood the situation in Group F. Myanmar and Bangladesh could not decide a winner, so the group situation became favourable for Vietnam. One point against Thailand was enough to put Vietnam among the best third-placed teams. Coach Hoang Van Phuc said: “Before the match with Thailand, we knew Myanmar and Bangladesh had drawn 0-0. So we had to earn at least one point to advance. But the Vietnamese women's team prepared for this match not just to play for one point, but to win.” That explains why the team pressed more actively in the second half and created several chances, even though they failed to score. On the pitch, Thailand no longer played in their familiar way. Their coach used three central defenders, pushed both wing-backs high, and at times formed a five-player midfield. This change made it difficult for Vietnam to control the middle in the first half. Passes towards the Thai goal were often broken down in central areas, while the space behind the wing-backs was not exploited enough. Only after the coaching staff adjusted the shape and approach did Vietnam regain their rhythm. In the second half, Vietnam pressed high and disrupted Thailand's game. Coach Hoang Van Phuc mentioned two clear chances from Bich Thuy and Vu Thi Hoa. If they had finished better, Vietnam would have scored. But football does not count “what if” moments. Vietnam scored only one goal in three group-stage matches. That statistic is worrying, especially because the team still created clear opportunities. Against Chinese Taipei, the attack had several dangerous situations but lacked sharpness in the final step. Coach Hoang Van Phuc did not avoid the issue: “Apart from Japan, whose level is too high, the Vietnamese women's team had clear scoring chances, especially in the match against Chinese Taipei. The match against Thailand had a different nature because one point was enough for us to reach the quarter-finals. If we had pushed the whole team forward, we could have scored, but we could not take that risk.” That admission was honest. In a knockout tournament, a team sometimes has to choose between playing beautifully and securing the necessary result. Vietnam chose the safe option against Thailand, and it brought a place in the last eight. However, the story does not stop at reaching the next round. The attack is not working well, and without improvement, the Asiad 2026 campaign will soon end. In top-level football, a ticket to the next round matters less than how a team uses it. Teams that are used to advancing through calculation often struggle in the knockout rounds, where no match is easy. Vietnam entered the list of the best third-placed teams, a position that does not bring a huge advantage but gives the team one more match to grow. The problem is that they must learn quickly. Against Thailand, a cautious approach made sense. Against China, that caution could become timidity if the players do not believe in their ability to escape pressure. Coach Hoang Van Phuc has said the attack needs improvement; that is true, but the attack cannot improve only through tactics. It needs courage in the final moments and players willing to take responsibility in front of goal. Vietnamese women's football has improved a lot in fitness and organisation, but goals remain the most precious thing. What should be noted is that this ticket did not come from a victory. Vietnam reached the quarter-finals thanks to the draw between Myanmar and Bangladesh, a situation beyond the team's control. Against a team like Thailand, Vietnam could not score. If Myanmar had beaten Bangladesh, or the other way around, the situation could have been different. Top-level football always needs luck, but luck cannot be the foundation for building tactics. In the quarter-finals, Vietnam will face China, a team that won in a friendly before the tournament. Coach Hoang Van Phuc said: “Their level is better than the Vietnamese women's team. For now, we have to let the players recover, then we can think about how to play, and the most likely option is defensive counter-attacks.” This is a practical plan, but also a predictable one. If Vietnam only drops deep and waits, China will have time to control the game and apply pressure. The problem is that Vietnam's attack has already missed too many chances against opponents who were not clearly stronger in the group stage. Many teams become stuck when facing a deep defensive block because they lack players who can create something in tight spaces. Vietnam has strong forwards and fast wingers, but in the group stage, the final combinations were not consistent. Some crosses entered the penalty area without a runner. Some shots were rushed instead of choosing the right angle. Coaches can try to improve this, but on the pitch, decisions in a split second belong to the players. The deeper a team goes in the tournament, the smaller the space and the shorter the time. So preparing for China is not only about tactics; it is also about mentality. The players must believe they can score against China. If they enter the match thinking only about not losing, a goal will be very hard to find. In the past, Vietnamese women's football has had difficult matches against China. China usually dominates with physical strength, height, and aerial ability. Vietnam cannot compare directly in physical terms, so defensive counter-attacking seems necessary. But counter-attacking does not mean pulling everyone back. It means choosing the right moment to win the ball, making accurate long passes, and finishing with minimal touches. To do that, the midfield must keep a proper distance and the attack must have pace. Against Thailand, Vietnam pressed better in the second half. That is a reason to believe the team can create pressure even against a stronger opponent, if they choose the right moment. In the coming days, coach Hoang Van Phuc and his staff will have to balance recovery and rhythm. No team can train at high intensity right before a big match, but they also cannot let their players lose their feel for the ball. He said the first thing is to let the players recover, then think about the game plan. That approach shows caution, but modern football requires caution to be combined with clear solutions. If Vietnam only defends and hopes for a counter-attack, China will push forward and try to decide the match with crosses and set pieces. Vietnam needs a plan to escape pressure with short passes, instead of just clearing the ball long. When they have the ball, the players must be brave enough to keep it and stretch the opponent's shape. The quarter-final between Vietnam and China will kick off at 5:00 p.m. on September 25, 2026, Vietnam time. This is the time for the players to recover, but also the time for the coaching staff to solve the scoring problem. A quarter-final ticket can come from calculation and help from other results, but a quarter-final victory can only come from precision, courage, and finishing. The Vietnamese women's team must remember that in big matches, defending only helps the team avoid losing; goals are what help the team move on.