Head coach Mai Duc Chung praises clinical Vietnam for sealing maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup berth
Vietnam head coach Mai Duc Chung praised his players for booking a place in the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time after their 2-1 victory against Chinese Taipei at the D.Y. Patil Stadium on Sunday.
07/02/2022 09:19:56
Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy was the hero for Vietnam, scoring the winner after Su Hy-Ysuan had cancelled out Chuong Thi Kieu’s first half opener.
It was a landmark victory for Mai and his charges who confirmed their berth at Australia/New Zealand 2023.
“I’m so proud of my players,” said Mai. “They have worked so hard, especially today to earn the victory and now we will play in the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year. It’s just a magnificent result. The players are extremely happy. It’s a good end to our campaign here and we’re looking forward to preparing for the World Cup.”
“This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and motivation of all the staff and players. We had to take it one step at a time. We started the campaign slow, but the last two matches have been good for us.
“I’m very proud of the players. They have done well for themselves.”
For goalscorer Chuong, who opened Vietnam’s account in the seventh minute, there were mixed emotions after receiving the news of her grandfather’s passing shortly after the final whistle.
Meanwhile, head coach Kazuo Echigo said the journey is not over for Chinese Taipei, who join Thailand in the Inter-Confederation Playoffs.
“We started the first half very cautiously but conceded a goal. In the second half, my players fought back and scored. I’m happy with the way they played today.”
A win in the Inter-Confederation Playoffs will take Chinese Taipei into their first FIFA Women’s World Cup in 31 years and Echigo is confident of his team’s chances.
“Women’s football in Chinese Taipei has made huge strides in the last few years. We have taken a long time to make an appearance again in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. Being here itself has been a great experience, especially for the younger players.
“I’m very sorry for the result today but we still have a fighting chance to qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The whole team will be motivated to see this through and will be looking forward to our playoff campaign.”
Source: AFC
