Coach Mai Duc Chung praised the team's spirit as the women's national team defeated Ho Chi Minh City I 3-2.
After the first two weeks of training, coach Mai Duc Chung acknowledged the team's efforts; the Vietnamese women's national team won against Ho Chi Minh City I 3-2 and are preparing to travel to Japan for training starting November 20th.
The 3-2 victory against Ho Chi Minh City I Women's Club on Saturday afternoon was not only a test of skill, but also accurately reflected what coach Mai Duc Chung emphasized after the first two weeks of training: the Vietnamese women's national team's training spirit is at a very high level, despite the unpredictable weather with heavy rain followed by intense heat.
Message from the 3-2 friendly match: practice to be ready.
According to coach Mai Duc Chung, the goal of the match against Ho Chi Minh City I is to gain experience and test tactics. Notably, Ho Chi Minh City I has several foreign players, which will help the Vietnamese women's national team get used to a physically demanding style of play — an element that may frequently appear at the SEA Games 33, especially with some teams having naturalized players.
Despite the victory, the coaching staff clearly saw areas for improvement: passing, movement, and communication on the field. As coach Mai Duc Chung affirmed, "we still have a lot to refine tactically" because the upcoming SEA Games will be very intense.
Spirit is the foundation.
"They have put in a tremendous effort," coach Mai Duc Chung assessed the first two weeks of the training camp. Their training spirit is considered the foundation for the team to aim for the best possible results. Despite constantly changing weather conditions, the workload has been maintained, demonstrating improved physical fitness and enhanced teamwork.
SEA Games 33 Group Stage: A Test of Physical Fitness and Speed
According to the draw results, the Vietnamese women's national team is in the same group as the Philippines, Myanmar, and Malaysia. This is not an easy group: the opponents are all improving, with the Philippines attracting attention with many naturalized players. This makes tests of one-on-one tackling, speed of transitions, and ability to withstand physical contact even more significant.
- Philippines
- Myanmar
- Malaysia
Preparation plan: Training in Japan starting November 20th.
According to the plan, the Vietnamese women's national team will depart for Japan for training starting on November 20th. Prior to that, during the final two weeks at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, the team will play three more practice matches against the Ho Chi Minh City women's club and two amateur football teams from Bac Ninh and Son Tay provinces. The goal is to maintain match intensity, assess personnel, and refine tactical details.
Key areas of improvement: teamwork and communication.
From a professional standpoint, the coaching staff clearly identified areas needing immediate improvement: passing accuracy, off-ball movement, communication within each pressing phase, and defensive organization. These details determine the smoothness of the system, especially when facing teams that play directly and are physically strong.
Phase 1 Summary: Closing the chapter to accelerate
The first phase of preparations for the 33rd SEA Games concluded with a meaningful friendly match and concrete observations: good morale, improved physical fitness, and better coordination. The remaining task lies in raising technical and tactical standards through subsequent training matches and a training camp in Japan, aiming to enter the SEA Games with the highest level of readiness.
