Vietnam Women's National Team Roster Announced

With the goal of qualifying for the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup finals, coach Mai Duc Chung has selected the best players for the Vietnamese women's national football team.

"Father Nguyen Dinh Thuc incites parishioners."

Huynh Nhu (left), the striker that coach Mai Duc Chung has high hopes for.

The largest contributions still come from localities with a tradition of developing women's football, such as Ha Nam with 7 players, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi each with 6 players, Vietnam Coal and Mineral Corporation (KSVN) with 5, and Thai Nguyen with 2 players.

Replacing striker Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet (who withdrew) is 20-year-old Nguyen Thuy Hang (Than KSVN). Last year, Hang was a starter for the Vietnam U.19 team, and her outstanding qualities include her height and ability to play well as a center forward and attacking midfielder.

Steve Darby, a coach with many years of experience working with Southeast Asian football and who led the Vietnamese women's national team to win the gold medal at the 2001 SEA Games, recently stated that there is a high possibility that matches in the upcoming AFF Cup will be fixed.

Another newcomer making her debut for the national team is Ha Thi Nhai (born in 1998), also from Than KSVN – a prominent player from the Vietnam U.19 team. Nhai is quite small but agile and can play well as a midfielder or right back. Hang and Nhai are two very promising players that coach Mai Duc Chung hopes will bring a fresh perspective to the team. In addition, the team sees the return of right back Do Thi Nguyen (Hanoi). This girl, born in 1993, was called up last year due to her excellent physique.

On March 1st, the players will gather at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center and undergo physical training in Thanh Hoa for about a week. The team will not travel abroad for friendly matches but will only train domestically. The team's two main goals for 2017 are the Asian Championship qualifiers starting in early April and the 29th SEA Games at the end of August.

According to TNO