Coach Hoang Van Phuc: 'Vietnam did not play for a point, but for victory'

The Vietnam women's national football team have officially advanced to the quarter-finals of the women's football tournament at the 2026 Asian Games. The historic ticket came after Myanmar and Bangladesh played out a 0-0 draw in Group F. That result helped Vietnam finish above Myanmar in the ranking of the best third-placed teams, securing one of the two lucky loser spots. Ahead of the final group game against Thailand, coach Hoang Van Phuc revealed his team already knew about Myanmar's draw with Bangladesh. 'We had to get at least one point to advance. But we did not play for a point; we played to win,' he said. Vietnam drew 0-0 with Thailand. Thailand changed their system, using three centre-backs and pushing their full-backs high, at times packing five players in midfield. Vietnam struggled in the first half, but improved after adjustments. Phuc said his team pressed Thailand high in the second half and created two or three clear chances, including opportunities for Bich Thuy and Vu Thi Hoa. Despite failing to score, he was satisfied because the team reached the quarter-finals. Vietnam only scored one goal in three group matches. Phuc admitted the attack needs improvement. He pointed out that apart from Japan, Vietnam created clear chances, especially against Chinese Taipei. In the Thailand match, the team could not take risks because one point was enough. He expects improvements against stronger opponents. In the quarter-finals, Vietnam will meet China. Phuc said China are stronger than Vietnam. 'We have played them in a training camp before. The first priority is recovery, then we will plan. The most feasible approach is defensive counter-attacks.' The match between Vietnam and China will kick off at 5:00 PM on September 25, Vietnam time. Vietnam will need a strong team performance, sharper finishing, and a resilient defensive structure to have any chance of causing an upset.