The Vietnamese U20 women’s team celebrate beating Bangladesh in the final Group A match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2022 in Thailand on Tuesday. — Photo courtesy of VFF

Football

HÀ NỘI — Head coach Masahiko Okiyama hailed the fighting spirit and determination of the Vietnamese U20 women’s team after their 1-0 win over Bangladesh in the final Group A match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 in Thailand on Tuesday.

The Japanese coach said the whole team worked hard to secure the three points despite a below-par first half.

“The players tried their best and we earned three points. The players' performance in the first half wasn't great and after going to the locker room, I encouraged them to regain their confidence. In the second half, the players performed very well. I am very pleased with that,” Okiyama said.

While pleased with the result, he regretted that the team failed to convert several chances that could have improved their goal difference.

“We had many scoring opportunities but couldn't convert them. We also know that the Bangladesh goalkeeper played very well,” he added.

Okiyama also praised Bangladesh for their fitness, speed and aggressive play.

“They have speed and physical strength. In the last match, they played very strongly. In the second half, they changed tactics a bit, so they may not have adjusted yet and didn't play well,” he said.

Earlier, Việt Nam lost 3-0 to China and 4-1 to Thailand, finishing the group stage third in Group A with three points and a goal difference of -5.

Việt Nam are nevertheless expected to rank among the best third-placed teams and qualify for the quarter-finals. If they advance, they could face strong opponents such as Japan or Australia.

“If we advance, our next opponent will be Japan or Australia. These are both strong teams in the top group in Asia. However, we still have time to prepare well and will try our best,” Okiyama said.

After the match, Vietnam Football Federation Vice President Trần Anh Tú met the team to offer encouragement. The VFF also awarded a bonus of VNĐ300 million (US$11,400) in recognition of the players' efforts. — VNS