Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi 1 get off to a good start.

The two teams considered strong contenders for this year's championship had a perfect start to the tournament. Under the watchful eye of the new national team head coach, Norimatsu Takashi, the players put in a tremendous effort to impress the Japanese manager.

The Ho Chi Minh City women's team celebrates a goal scored against Vietnam Coal and Mineral Corporation. Photo: Binh Minh

In the 2015 season, the Ho Chi Minh City women's team promises to make a difference. Besides playing on home ground, young talents like Kieu Thanh, Bich Thuy, Hoai Luong, Chuong Thi Kieu... will surely bring a new impetus to the experienced senior players like Kim Hong and Kieu Trinh. Furthermore, with the talent and influence of new coach Doan Thi Kim Chi, a former renowned national team player, Ho Chi Minh City is confident of achieving its goal of finishing in the top 2.

1. The match, considered the highlight of the first round, between Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam Coal and Mineral Corporation, was fiercely contested, even though the home team dominated possession. Playing on their home ground, Kim Hong and her teammates started with a tight formation and some well-executed attacks down the flanks.

This is what gave Ho Chi Minh City an advantage in terms of possession in the first 45 minutes of the match, with the ball almost exclusively in Than Khoang San VN's half of the field.

But the girls from the mining region also showed they were not to be underestimated, defending tightly and blocking all routes to goalkeeper Thanh Hao's goal. Nevertheless, with the aggressive play of Tran Thi Kim Hong, the girls from Ho Chi Minh City created considerable pressure on the opponent's goal.

Against the tight defense of Than Khoang San VN, Ho Chi Minh City had to rely on a set piece to break the deadlock. Kim Hong delivered a perfectly placed cross in the first half, allowing Huynh Nhu to unexpectedly leap and head the ball into the visitors' net.

In the second half, the Ho Chi Minh City players' stamina decreased, giving Than Khoang San VN the opportunity to regain control of the game. However, the solid performance of defender Chuong Thi Kieu and goalkeeper Kieu Trinh helped the home team maintain their 1-0 lead.

With 3 points after the opening match, head coach Doan Thi Kim Chi said: “The players put in a great effort to get 3 valuable points against a strong opponent like Than Khoang San VN. They followed the tactics set by the coaching staff. However, in the second half, they lacked stamina, which we are not satisfied with. Therefore, we still have a lot of work to do to improve our playing style and physical fitness in order to achieve our set goals.”

2. Lacking experience, the Tao Đàn women's team suffered a 0-1 defeat in their first appearance at the National Women's Football Championship.

The "newcomer" Tao Đàn has brought a fresh face to this year's tournament. Essentially, this is the Ho Chi Minh City U19 women's team given the opportunity to gain experience through competition. Therefore, the young home team players are participating in this year's National Championship with a strong desire to prove themselves.

Therefore, in their first match, they played with great determination against the Thai Nguyen women's team. The Ho Chi Minh City girls played strongly in one-on-one challenges, despite being physically weaker than their opponents. However, their mental strength could not overcome the experience and composure of the Thai Nguyen strikers. With sharp counter-attacks down the flanks, the girls from the tea-producing region confused their opponents.

In a lightning-fast counter-attack down the left wing, Nguyen Thuy Linh crossed the ball for Doan Thi Thanh Tam to make a spectacular diving header into the net past goalkeeper Quach Thu Em.

After conceding a goal, the Tao Đàn women's team played with determination to equalize. However, their attacks lacked the sharpness to penetrate the opponent's defense, and they ultimately had to accept a 0-1 defeat in their debut match.

In the final match of the day, defending champions Hanoi 1, with many national team players in their squad, were considered strong contenders for their third consecutive championship. Facing Hanoi 2, they easily defeated their younger counterparts with a resounding 4-0 victory. Pham Ai Y was the most impressive player for Hanoi 1, scoring a hat-trick. National team player Nguyen Thi Muon scored the remaining goal for the capital city team.

According to the Cultural Center