Vietnam women's team reach Asiad 2026 quarter-finals: A historic ticket and an unfinished attacking puzzle

The Vietnam women's national football team secured a spot in the quarter-finals of the 2026 Asian Games after Myanmar and Bangladesh drew 0-0 in Group F. That result pushed Vietnam above Myanmar in the ranking of the best third-placed teams and gave the team one of the two remaining slots. Head coach Hoang Van Phuc later confirmed that the squad knew about that draw before facing Thailand. He said: “We had to get at least one point to advance. But we prepared for this match not to play for a draw, but to win.” Thailand changed their system for the match, using three centre-backs and two advanced wing-backs. At times they reinforced midfield with five players. Vietnam struggled to control the midfield in the first half. After the break, the coaching staff adjusted the shape. Vietnam pressed higher and created two or three clear chances. Coach Phuc highlighted opportunities from Bich Thuy and Vu Thi Hoa. None found the net. Vietnam scored only one goal in three group matches. Phuc admitted the attack needs improvement. He pointed out that apart from Japan, Vietnam had clear chances in every match, especially against Chinese Taipei. Against Thailand, the game had a special context: one point was enough for qualification. The coach explained that pushing more players forward might have produced a goal, but the risk was not acceptable in that situation. Now Vietnam face China in the quarter-finals at 17:00 on September 25, 2026, Vietnam time. The two teams met in a training match before the tournament. Phuc rated China higher in quality. His priority is recovery, and the most viable approach is defensive counter-attacking. In knockout football, a draw is not enough. Vietnam will need a compact defensive structure and a sharp transition plan to create chances against a stronger opponent.