Coach Mai Đức Chung. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Hùng

Football

HÀ NỘI — Coach Mai Đức Chung said that the match with Germany has helped the Vietnamese national women’s team gain more experience to prepare for the final round of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Despite losing 1-2 to the world No 2 team in Offenbach am Main, Germany in a friendly match on Saturday, the Vietnamese women put in a convincing performance.

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Nhã left her mark with a beautiful goal in injury time, after Germany took a 2-0 lead thanks to efforts from Pauling Krumbiegel and Janina Minge.

Chung said that his team tried their best despite their short stature and lack of strength, but the team played with determination and in accordance with the tactics set out by the coaching staff.

According to Chung, in football, just one weak spot can lead to a conceded goal, but the Vietnamese players overcome their issues very quickly and if they had taken advantage of the chances they had, Việt Nam would have scored more goals.

Chung also expressed his satisfaction with the goal set during the training trip and friendly matches in Germany, which was to strengthen the physical foundation, improve the ability to connect in the game and improve the ball control control of the players.

The Vietnamese team defends against Germany in a friendly match to prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Hùng

Meanwhile, striker Etonam Nicole Anyomi of Germany admitted that the Vietnamese women's team played well, and warned her teammates about the progress of underrated teams in the 2023 World Cup.

Anyomi said that the match against Việt Nam showed that it didn’t matter who the opponent was.

"We had to play with 100 per cent capacity," she said.

"Việt Nam are not a big team like England, but we still needed to fight every second, had to play bravely and played in a basic way.

The head coach of the German women's team, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg also expressed dissatisfaction. She said it was not the way her team wanted to play. The team had a lot of work to do. They had only met 40 per cent of the requirements.

The two teams prepare for the friendly match. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Hùng

After the training tour in Germany, the Vietnamese team will return home and continue training before moving to New Zealand on July 5 to prepare for their journey at the World Cup is scheduled to take place in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.

In New Zealand, Việt Nam are expected to have a friendly match with the hosts on July 10.

It is the first time in history that Việt Nam has qualified for the World Cup together with 31 representatives from around the world. They are among six Asian representatives set to compete at the event, alongside China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and hosts Australia.

Việt Nam are in Group E and will face the defending champions United States on July 22, Portugal on July 27, and the last World Cup runners-up the Netherlands on August 1.

FIFA has revealed that players at the Women’s World Cup next month will earn individual fees directly from the global governing body for the first time.

The winning team’s players will receive US$270,000, while each individual competing in the group stage will earn $30,000. The amount paid will increase the further the team progresses and in many cases, the figures far exceed players’ salaries at their clubs. VNS