Striker Huỳnh Như (second left) and her team, HCM City secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League 2024/25. — Photo AFC

HCM City — A great performance from striker Huỳnh Như has helped lead HCM City to a victory that secures their spot in the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League 2024/25.

In the opening minute of the match against India’s Odisha at Thống Nhất Stadium on Wednesday, Huỳnh Như provided an assist, delivering a corner kick that Kim Yến converted into the opening goal.

Fielding their strongest lineup, HCM City quickly took control of the game. In the 42nd minute, Huỳnh Như further distinguished herself by scoring to extend the lead, marking her third goal in the group stage of the tournament.

Although HCM City allowed their opponents to score in the second half, they maintained a two-goal advantage, ultimately winning 3-1. This victory brought the Vietnamese representative’s points total to six after two matches.

With this win, HCM City qualified for the quarter-finals a match early, and Huỳnh Như was named the best player of the match.

After the game, coach Hồng Phẩm remarked, "The pitch was flooded, which affected HCM City's playing style. However, we aimed for three points against Odisha Club, and we accomplished that." He also expressed satisfaction that the team emerged without injuries.

Odisha Club’s head coach, Crispin Chettri, reflected on the match, stating, "Compared to our first match, where we lost to Urawa Red Diamonds 0-17, this result against HCM City is encouraging. We didn’t play well in the first half, but we improved significantly in the second half. I am pleased with the players' attitude and determination. As I mentioned before, the result is not the most important thing; what matters is our growth together."

Looking ahead, Việt Nam will face a strong opponent, Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan, in their final group match on October 12.

"Since the beginning, HCM City's goal has been to showcase the true ability of the team and each individual player in every match. Against Japan, we are not focused on competing for the top spot in the group, but on demonstrating our team's true class," Phẩm said.

After two matches, Urawa Red Diamonds have also secured a place in the quarter-finals, having defeated Odisha Club 17-0 and Taichung Blue Whale 2-0.

In the final matches of Group C on October 12 at Thống Nhất Stadium, HCM City will face Urawa Red Diamonds FC, while Taichung Blue Whale FC will meet Odisha FC. The match between HCM City and Urawa Red Diamonds will determine which team advances to the quarter-finals as the top team in Group C.

The 2024/25 AFC Women's Champions League Group Stage features 12 teams divided into three groups of four. Teams compete in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, advancing to the quarter-finals. VNS