Vietnam's World Cup aspirations are extinguished following Asian Cup defeat
Rewritten Article:
Whoa, V-town lost to Japan in the Asian Futsal tournament, dude!
HOLY COW, HÀ NỘI - Việt Nam took a brutal 0-2 beating by Japan during the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup on May 13, Hohhot, China. The poor lads' dreams of reaching the World Cup tore apart like a cheap ball in a high-stakes game.
Japan, the favs and two-time runners-up, cruised past Việt Nam with a series of killer attacks from the get-go. The initial pressure sent the Southeast Asian team shaking like a leaf on a windy day at the Hohhot Sports Centre.
In the blink of an eye, minutes into the game, defender Nguyễn Phương Anh slip-up and scored an own goal, giving Japan the early advantage. The goal left goalkeeper Lê Thị Thanh Ngân scrambling to protect her net against attacks from Aki Ikeuchi, Ryo Egawa, and Mika Eguchi, just to name a few.
The rest of the first half, Ngân saved her sheet from multiple attempts, demonstrating serious determination. But despite her efforts, Việt Nam struggled to score and found themselves down 0-1 after the break.
Four minutes into the second half, Sara Oino hacked through three defenders on the left and delivered a neat pass to Ryo Egawa, who confidently scored a top-right corner goal, putting Japan up 0-2.
Eguchi came close to extending the lead a few minutes later, but her shot from the distance struck the crossbar. In the end, Việt Nam's dreams of making it to the semis went up in smoke.
Goalkeeper Lê Thị Thanh Ngân saves her sheet from an attempt of Japan during their quarter-final match of the AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup on May 13 in China. - Photos of VFF
Taking it on the Chin:
Coach Nguyễn Đình Hoàng admitted defeat and shared, "Japan are tough competitors with top players. Though Việt Nam played decently, a lack of concentration for just a few seconds sunk us. We're disappointed but proud of our team's fight against a powerhouse in Asia."
Hoàng also vocalized his hopes for future victories, saying, "We acknowledge our team's effort and commend their performance. Although we didn't make it this time, we're aiming for bigger goals in the future. We'll definitely work hard to grow stronger."
Chasing the Dream:
The Asian Cup was an inspiring journey for Việt Nam, who secured the top spot in their group with seven points. However, facing Japan in the quarter-finals was a tough nut to crack. The loss will be a bitter pill to swallow, but Hoàng and the boys aren't letting it crush their spirits. They've got their eyes on the prize of the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand this December. – VNS
Enrichment Insights:
our websiteese K'Thủa (left) seen in action during the match. Despite effort, Việt Nam fail to score.
- Japan is a powerhouse in the Asian Futsal scene, with many quality players and a two-time runner-up status.
- The AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup determines the teams that qualify for the FIFA Women's Futsal World Cup, which takes place every four years.
- The top three teams in the 2025 AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup will qualify for the FIFA Women's Futsal World Cup Philippines 2025.
- Iran and Vietnam both qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup.
- The exact teams qualifying for the FIFA Women's Futsal World Cup Philippines 2025 will be determined by the final standings of the ongoing 2025 AFC Women's Futsal Asian Cup.
AI could potentially assist in analyzing playing styles and predicting outcomes in sports like football and futsal.
Vietnam's futsal team could benefit from incorporating AI-assisted analysis and strategy development to improve their chances, especially in high-stakes matches against strong opponents like Japan.
