Captain Huỳnh Như (9) and teammates celebrate the second goal against Thailand in the third place playoff. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

Anh Đức

The Việt Nam national women's football team did not reach the dream victory on home ground that they had pictured, but for this team, the destination is not as important as the journey.

Việt Nam started their journey at the group stage scoring a staggering fourteen goals and conceding none. While Cambodia and Indonesia pose little threat, the narrow victory against top rivals Thailand was crucial in cementing Việt Nam's resolve in this tournament: beat everyone along their way.

The goal, however, was unfortunately not met. The Golden Star Women Warriors faced a mountain in the form of Australia Under-23s in the semifinal, a team that is not just physically superior, but outstandingly talented. Australia's two quick goals in the first 20 minutes of the match was proof of their dominance.

But Việt Nam did not give up. The team played their hearts out at home, almost drawing the semi-final with a late surge, and responded in style with a 3-1 victory against Thailand in the third-place playoff. To end a home tournament on a high is perhaps a boost of confidence for Mai Đức Chung's side. 

Momentum matters, but so does honesty: from this tournament, casual viewers can point out at least two crucial things Việt Nam could improve on.

First, chance conversion. Việt Nam were the event’s most prolific team with 18 goals, yet no Vietnamese player claimed the Golden Boot. The leading scorer in red, Hải Yến, finished on four, three shy of Myanmar’s Win Theingi Tun. For a team that creates chances in volume, that finishing gap is an obvious focus before December.

Second, the goals are still coming mainly from the old guard. The list of key contributors is heavy with veterans — Huỳnh Như (33), Thái Thị Thảo (30), Nguyễn Thị Vân (28), Tuyết Dung (31), Dương Thị Vân (30), Bích Thùy (31) and Hải Yến (30). Younger faces did appear — Hải Linh, Thanh Nhã, Trần Thị Duyên, Vân Sự — but fresh breakthroughs under 23 remain limited. 

No one is criticising a pragmatic selection at a home tournament; silverware ambitions demand reliable heads. Yet if Việt Nam are serious about the Asian Cup and the 2027 World Cup qualifying road, rejuvenation cannot be a slogan for tomorrow, it has to begin today.

That brings us to a sensitive, necessary topic: broadening the talent funnel. The door has been opened to overseas Vietnamese (OV) players like Nguyễn Hoàng Nam Mi, who has already been given a training opportunity, but meaningful contributions in official fixtures have yet to follow. Meanwhile, regional rivals are simultaneously refreshing their cores and tapping external pools.

If there is comfort to take from the week, it is this: Việt Nam are still beating their ASEAN peers consistently and doing so with a recognisable style. That buys the coaching staff time and earns the players' belief to make targeted adjustments. Clinical finishing can be coached; set-piece ruthlessness can be drilled. 

Rotating two or three younger players into real minutes now, not later, will pay off when the matches tighten at the SEA Games. And if an OV prospect proves she can raise the daily standard, the shirt should go to the best footballer, full stop.

In short, the tournament delivered exactly what it promised: a stepping stone. It confirmed strengths, highlighted gaps and gave Việt Nam a credible launchpad toward Bangkok. 

Use the next camp to sharpen finishing, accelerate succession planning and keep the pathway open to the widest possible pool of Vietnamese talent. Do that, and the team won’t just defend a title; they’ll reignite belief that the next horizon, beyond the SEA Games, is within reach. — VNS