Coach of Ho Chi Minh City I praises Lion City, entering the quarterfinals early

TP.HCM I continued to show their superiority in the AFC Champions League Women group stage with a victory in the second round against Lion City Sailors, thereby securing a ticket to the quarter-finals with one match left early. In the press conference, coach Nguyen Hong Pham both praised the fighting spirit of the Singapore representative and revealed the decision to increase the pressure immediately after the incident that forced young player Nur Ain Salleh to leave the field.

The Decisive Moment: From Silence to the Opening

Nur Ain Salleh’s (born in 2010) incident caused a brief pause in the match, and that pause became the turning point. Coach Nguyen Hong Pham said the coaching staff quickly adjusted the tempo of pressure when the ball rolled back, to turn the advantage into a goal to break the deadlock.

The strategist born in 1964 shared: “We admire the fighting spirit of the opposing team, very tenacious. The opposing team's players were injured, we were also very worried. However, the coaching staff also quickly grasped the situation, knowing that the opposing team would definitely be distracted. Therefore, as soon as the ball rolled again, we put strong pressure, from which we got a lucky goal from Bao Chau. The lucky goal broke the deadlock, but before that the team was also unlucky because the goal had denied the goal many times. I want to thank the players for playing together, determined and not backing down to help the team achieve good results.”

Bao Chau and the opening goal: pressure turns into advantage

In a game where TP.HCM I was constantly denied by the goalpost, Tran Nguyen Bao Chau's kick unlocked the key. From a strong pressing situation, the ball found the right position for the number - the person mentioned by the coach in the speech - to score a "lucky" goal, but logical with the game situation that had been created.

Bao Chau shared her feelings: “I would like to thank the fans who came to the stadium to cheer for the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club. I personally feel very happy and excited to score and contribute to the team's victory. This is a very emotional goal and I want to dedicate it to my father. Chau's father loves football very much but could not come to the stadium to watch.”

The final minutes: advantage turns into victory

TP.HCM I closed the match with two goals in the final minutes, turning a tenacious game into a maximum result. It was the reward for a disciplined approach: pressing at the right time, patiently wearing down and taking advantage of the moment.

Impact on Group A: Waiting for the top match with Melbourne City

With the victory in the second round, the “team named after Uncle Ho” has already secured a ticket to the quarter-finals and will enter the final round with a comfortable mindset. TP.HCM I has three days off before facing Melbourne City to compete for the top spot in Group A.

Quick Facts

• Tournament: AFC Champions League Women.
• Second round result: TP.HCM I won Lion City Sailors.
• Quarter-final ticket: TP.HCM I won one match early.
• Turning point: Nur Ain Salleh had to leave the field; TP.HCM I immediately increased pressing.
• Opening goal: Tran Nguyen Bao Chau scored after a pressure situation.
• Game situation: TP.HCM I was denied many times by the goal before opening the scoring.
• Match schedule: waiting for the match for the top spot in Group A with Melbourne City.