Vietnam only needed a draw against Taiwan to secure an early spot in the quarterfinals of Group C, matchday two. However, facing a younger and fitter opponent, Mai Duc Chung's players started poorly, failing to create any significant chances in the first half. The team endured many dangerous attacks and conceded a goal in the 26th minute from a beautifully orchestrated attack by an opponent ranked 36th in FIFA, compared to Vietnam's 40th.

Head coach Mai Duc Chung during a press conference after Vietnam's 0-1 loss to Taiwan in Group C, matchday two, at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup finals on the afternoon of 7/3. Photo: AFC

In addition to a starting lineup featuring seven players over 30 years old and four over 23 years old, Vietnam faced a disadvantage playing in 38-degree Celsius weather at 13h (local time, 12h Hanoi time). As a result, many players felt overwhelmed and experienced rapid physical decline.

While acknowledging the hot weather affected the players, coach Duc Chung stated that it was not the main reason. "Beyond the weather's impact, Vietnamese players lost their composure and failed to maintain focus, leading to poor coordination and inaccurate passes," he said after the match. "Clearly, the team did not perform well in this match. A small lapse cost us a goal."

In the second half, the presence of the 34-year-old veteran Huynh Nhu, followed by younger players like Hai Linh, Truc Huong, Minh Chuyen, and Vu Thi Hoa, helped Vietnam regain control of the game. However, the chances created were not incisive enough to break through Taiwan's defense. "The opponent's stamina declined in the second half, but my players also suffered from physical fatigue. Ball handling was inaccurate and lacked high effectiveness," Chung added.

Midfielder Thai Thi Thao attempts to defend against a Taiwan player in Group C, matchday two, at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup finals, this morning 7/3. Photo: AFC

With this defeat, Vietnam dropped to third place in Group C, having three points but losing on head-to-head record against Taiwan. Nevertheless, the team still leads the group of best-performing third-place teams, ahead of Philippines and Uzbekistan (each with 0 points).

In the final group stage match against Japan on 10/3, if they avoid a heavy defeat, Vietnam could still secure a quarterfinal spot as one of the two best third-place teams. In that scenario, Vietnam would enter a more favorable playoff bracket, potentially facing opponents such as Philippines, Iran, Uzbekistan, or Bangladesh. However, head coach Mai Duc Chung remained cautious. "Currently, it's very difficult to calculate precisely because many factors remain unclear. We will focus on one match at a time; we cannot rely on external factors, but must strive ourselves," he said.

Ranking of the best third-place teams.

The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup takes place from 1/3 to 21/3 in three Australian cities: Sydney, Perth, and Gold Coast. Twelve teams compete, divided into three groups; the top two teams from each group and the two best third-place teams advance to the quarterfinals.

The four semifinalist teams will secure direct qualification to the World Cup. The four teams eliminated in the quarterfinals will play off for the next two World Cup berths. Subsequently, the two losing teams will participate in an intercontinental playoff, alongside representatives from Africa, South America, North and Central America (2), Oceania, and Europe (1). These teams will compete for the final three World Cup spots in February 2027.

Duc Dong