Vietnam Women's 'Early Final' at ASIAD: With Japan Occupying One Spot, Three Teams Fight for the Last Ticket

In March 2026, at the Women's Asian Cup in Mumbai, I sat in the press room and heard Coach Hoang Van Phuc answer a question about the 0-1 defeat to Chinese Taipei. He said simply: 'We lacked a bit of luck.' Five years earlier, at the 2026 Asian Games in Jakarta, the Vietnam women's team had also lost to Chinese Taipei on penalties, 3-4, after a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes. Two defeats, two nearly identical scripts, and both times the quarterfinal door slammed shut in the faces of Vietnam's women players. Now, the draw has placed the two teams in the same group once again at the Asian Games. Group A features Japan - widely regarded as the strongest side on the continent and all but certain to claim one quarterfinal berth. The remaining ticket is a three-way battle between Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand. The opening match between Vietnam and Chinese Taipei is therefore no ordinary group-stage fixture. It is an early final. People call it the margins. I call it the place where the real stories are hidden. Group A at this Asian Games is considered one of the most competitive pools in the women's football qualifiers. Japan - a former Women's World Cup champion in 2026 and a three-time finalist of this tournament - is seeded first. With their superior class, the team from the Land of the Rising Sun is almost certain to top the group and take the first quarterfinal ticket. That means the other three teams - Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand - must fight fiercely for a single remaining spot. This is not unusual in Asian tournaments, where the gap between the strongest sides and mid-tier teams has narrowed but remains pronounced. In theory, Vietnam is rated slightly above its two group rivals based on head-to-head history and FIFA ranking. However, women's football in East and Southeast Asia has changed rapidly over the past half-decade. Chinese Taipei is no longer the easily beaten side it was a decade ago. Thailand - with its physical foundation and fast-paced style - is also an opponent that cannot be taken lightly. For Vietnam's women, the opening match against Chinese Taipei is decisive. Win, and the quarterfinal path opens wide. Draw or lose, and Coach Hoang Van Phuc's side will face a complex calculation in the following fixtures, especially with Thailand also a direct rival for the ticket. Before the Asian Games, Vietnam's women's team held a training camp in China. This was a strategic choice by the coaching staff to help players adapt to weather, climate, and pitch conditions similar to those at the tournament venue. During the camp, the team played two important friendly matches. In the first, Vietnam defeated Jiangsu Suning 1-0 - a strong side in China's women's football system. The result was positive, showing the attack could create breakthroughs against well-organized defenses. The only goal came from a quick attacking combination, in line with the tactical philosophy Coach Hoang Van Phuc is building. In the second, Vietnam lost 0-3 to China. This was not surprising given the opponent's vastly superior class and squad depth. However, the defeat also exposed issues needing improvement, particularly the ability to withstand pressure in the second half - a period when Vietnamese players often struggle physically. According to the coaching staff, the China friendly served as a 'test' of the team's ability to endure pressure against a strong opponent. Facing a continental powerhouse helps players accumulate experience and more clearly identify limitations to address. It was also how Coach Hoang Van Phuc experimented with personnel and tested backup tactical options. To be frank, Vietnam's preparations remain far from ideal. Compared with East Asian sides like Japan, South Korea, or China, Vietnam's women's team does not have the conditions for extended overseas training camps, nor a wealth of high-quality friendlies. This is a structural issue in Vietnamese women's football that cannot be solved in one or two cycles. In the ten most recent meetings between Vietnam and Chinese Taipei in official competitions, Vietnam has won five, drawn two, and lost three. This record favors Coach Hoang Van Phuc's side, but must be read in context. Five of those ten matches took place more than five years ago, when Chinese Taipei's women's team was in a transitional phase. Since 2026, Chinese Taipei has made clear progress, especially in defensive organization and capitalizing on set pieces. The two most recent encounters prove this shift. At the 2026 Asian Games in Jakarta, Vietnam drew 0-0 after 120 minutes before losing on penalties 3-4. At the 2026 Women's Asian Cup in India, Vietnam lost 0-1 in a match where the team could not generate enough chances to score. Two matches, two nearly identical scripts: Vietnam's attack stalled against Chinese Taipei's multi-layered defensive system. This is the problem Coach Hoang Van Phuc must thoroughly resolve in the upcoming opener. Notably, both defeats to Chinese Taipei came at decisive moments. At the 2026 Asian Games, the match determined the quarterfinal berth. At the 2026 Asian Cup, the loss eliminated Vietnam from the knockout stage. This is no longer a matter of luck, but of character in the most crucial moments. Looking at Chinese Taipei's style in the two recent matches against Vietnam, several clear characteristics emerge. The team prioritizes proactive defense, organizing into two banks of four, minimizing gaps between lines. They accept conceding possession and focus on disrupting the opponent's rhythm. In attack, Chinese Taipei tends to use long balls and set pieces. The team lacks many players capable of creating breakthroughs in tight spaces, but is very dangerous on set pieces - as proven in the 1-0 win at the 2026 Asian Cup. On Vietnam's side, Coach Hoang Van Phuc's team possesses several technically gifted individuals, especially on the flanks. Their style relies on ball control and attacking through small-group combinations in central areas. However, against Chinese Taipei, this system has proven ineffective because the opponent actively presses and denies Vietnamese players enough time to handle the ball. This is the point that must be emphasized: Vietnam's problem against Chinese Taipei is not a lack of tactical ideas, but a lack of execution capacity under pressure. When players lack space to develop play, they tend to process slowly and lose the ball in dangerous areas. Match data analysis reveals a striking pattern: in both recent matches against Chinese Taipei, Vietnam controlled more possession (around 58-60%) and created a comparable number of chances, yet their conversion rate was remarkably low. This is an individual technical issue in finishing, combined with a lack of diverse attacking options when central play becomes congested. One notable detail: both of Vietnam's goals conceded to Chinese Taipei in the recent fixtures came from set pieces. This shows the problem is not overall defensive capability, but focus and discipline on set pieces - a long-standing weakness in Vietnamese women's football. Looking at Group A, three factors could determine the outcome between Vietnam and Chinese Taipei. First is chance conversion. This is key because both teams tend to play cautiously in the first half. In a match with the character of an 'early final,' the team that converts the first chance often gains a huge psychological advantage. Second is the ability to withstand pressure in the second half. In both recent matches, Vietnam struggled physically in the final 20 minutes. This is a systemic weakness tied to training conditions and match intensity in the domestic league. Without improvement, Coach Hoang Van Phuc's side could lose its edge in the decisive phase. Third is defensive organization on set pieces. This is the identified weakness, and the factor Chinese Taipei will surely exploit. Thorough preparation for these situations could be the difference between winning and losing. A positive note is the emergence of several young players in Vietnam's squad. They bring new energy, boldness in attack, and the ability to quickly adapt to international match pace. However, placing trust in young players carries risk. Experience in big matches remains crucial, especially in decisive moments. In a match as important as the one against Chinese Taipei, balancing experience and youth will be a problem Coach Hoang Van Phuc must solve. Having followed Vietnamese women's football for many years, I've realized one thing: stories of victory and defeat are always fully documented. But one thing is never mentioned - the numbers behind the spotlight. Let me pause to discuss this, because it matters more than any tactical analysis. According to data compiled from domestic sports sources, the average income of a female player in the national league is 4.8 million VND per month. A male player at the same club earns 52 million VND. This disparity is not a calculation error. It reflects the systemic injustice of Vietnamese football, where women's football is always placed in a secondary position relative to men's. They don't know they are being forgotten, until the payroll is made public. What do these numbers mean for the upcoming match? It means every Vietnamese woman player stepping onto the pitch is not just playing to win. They fight for something greater: the right to be recognized, the right to be seen, the right to exist in a sporting world that routinely forgets them. This awareness does not diminish expectations for the match result. It only makes the match more important, more meaningful. I write about those who have no place in the standings, but whose names are in history. Here, I want to offer a possibly controversial perspective. Many argue that the head-to-head record of 5 wins - 2 draws - 3 losses is unfavorable for Vietnam. I disagree. Historical numbers, however impressive, carry little meaning in a specific match. What matters more is current form and adaptability to match conditions. And in this regard, both teams have reason to worry. The problem with Vietnamese women's football - and this is what few want to say directly - is not that the team lacks tactics or skills. The problem is that the team is not sufficiently invested in materially and spiritually to develop sustainably. A Vietnamese female player must buy her own weight-gain milk, worry about monthly income, face family pressure about pursuing a sporting career. These are burdens male players never bear. Viewed from this angle, winning or losing to Chinese Taipei is only part of a larger story. What matters more is not the result of one match, but whether this match can create lasting change in how women's football is perceived. I believe the right approach is not to place heavy expectations on a single match result, but to build a system that produces good results sustainably. This requires investing in youth development, improving playing conditions in the domestic league, and changing society's perception of women's football. Throughout many years following women's football, I've realized that one of the biggest problems in this sport is not professional quality, but silence. Empty training rooms, sparse stands, stadiums without spectators - those are the real problems that need solving. Chinese Taipei has faced similar issues. For years, women's football there had small audiences and little media attention. But over the past decade, they have made important strides in building a youth development system and creating playing opportunities for female players. Vietnam can learn from this. Not by copying their model - which would not fit Vietnam's cultural and economic context - but by building its own system based on the specific characteristics of Vietnamese women's football. When the training room is empty, their voices echo further than ever. This sounds paradoxical, but reflects an important truth: what is said in silence often carries more power than what is said in noise. Every training session of Vietnamese women players in those empty rooms is a statement that they are still here, still fighting, and still deserving to be seen. The match between Vietnam's and Chinese Taipei's women's teams may be a small moment in the broader history of continental football. But for Vietnamese players, it is a chance to write a new story - the story of women who dare to stand up, dare to fight, and dare to dream of a place where they are no longer forgotten. The result of this match will be recorded in the standings and remembered for a few weeks. But what Vietnam's women players are doing - every day, every match, every moment - will be written into history. I believe that, and I believe matches like this are the beginning of something greater. That change does not come from a desk. It comes from voices that refuse to be silenced, from empty training rooms where someone is still practicing, from small matches no one watches but that mean everything to the players. And perhaps, it comes from the very moment a 12-year-old girl in a faraway province sees Vietnam's women's team on television for the first time and thinks: 'I want to be like them.' That is what matters most. That is the true value of a football match.