CFA International Women’s Football Tournament Yongchuan 2024: Vietnam national team won the runner-up position
Facing a China women’s national team ranked 18th in the world, the Vietnam women’s national team put in a strong effort. Despite losing 0-2, Coach Mai Đức Chung’s players gained valuable lessons from the match.
31/10/2024 16:26:14
On the evening of October 29, the Vietnam women’s national team faced the host team, the China women’s national team, at the Yongchuan Sports Center Stadium as part of the CFA International Women’s Football Tournament Yongchuan 2024. Previously, both the Vietnam and China teams had secured victories against Uzbekistan, the other competitor in the tournament.
Entering what was seen as the “final,” the Vietnam women’s national team was determined to create an upset. However, facing the host team ranked 18th in the FIFA rankings, Coach Mai Đức Chung’s players fought hard but could not secure a victory. In the first 40 minutes, the home team created several threats in front of goalkeeper Kim Thanh but failed to score. In the 41st minute, Zhangxin managed to find the net, forcing Kim Thanh to retrieve the ball from the back of the goal.
In the second half, Coach Mai Đức Chung made some personnel and tactical adjustments, and the Vietnam women’s national team performed better. In fact, if luck had been on their side, Thu Hương’s shot could have found the back of the net instead of hitting the crossbar. In the 76th minute, Thu Thảo, in an attempt to clear the ball, accidentally scored an own goal, giving the home team a 2-0 lead, which ultimately was the final score of the match.
With this victory, the host team, China, earned 6 points and claimed the championship. The Vietnam women’s national team finished in second place, while Uzbekistan took third place in the tournament.
In this tournament, the Vietnam women’s national team gained valuable experience, especially the young players who accumulated more competitive exposure. Meanwhile, the veteran players had the opportunity to compete against high-level opponents.
Coach Mai Đức Chung shared: “This tournament is a stepping stone for the Vietnam women’s national team. In reality, we don’t have many international competitions this year. Recently, Hanoi FC participated in an international tournament with clubs from China and the Philippines, along with Thai Nguyen T&T. Ho Chi Minh City women’s club also competed in the Asian club championship. The other teams have not had international matches.
Currently, Vietnamese women’s football needs more international matches for exposure and learning. Therefore, this international friendly tournament is very beneficial. The goal is to train and help the players get used to the high intensity of training and competition to prepare for important tasks next year.”
