Tran Thi Duyen longs to attend SEA Games 33 for the first time
Returning to the national team after injury, defender Phong Phu Ha Nam is determined to win a place at SEA Games 33; the Vietnamese women's team will meet Malaysia on December 5, Philippines on December 8, and Myanmar on December 11.
Tran Thi Duyen returned to the Vietnamese women's team with a clear goal: to win a place at the 33rd SEA Games, after missing out due to injury. In the context of the whole team maintaining a regular training intensity and completing the group stage schedule, the defender born in 2000 is determined for her first regional conference.
Tran Thi Duyen and the motivation after a missed appointment
Sharing about the current training session, Tran Thi Duyen said: “This training session took place right after the National Championship, so in the past three weeks, the whole team has maintained good training and competition conditions. The two friendly matches with the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club, which has tall foreign players, helped us gain a lot of useful experience when facing opponents with superior physiques.”
Regarding his aspirations for the SEA Games, the defender of Phong Phu Ha Nam Club affirmed: “I am very happy to be back in the national team and I will do my best to be on the list to participate in the 33rd SEA Games. Previously, I was called up to the national team to prepare for the SEA Games but due to injury, I missed the opportunity. That is why this time I am even more eager to participate and contribute to the team.”
Fitness foundation and fitness test
Despite the changing weather in Hanoi, the Vietnamese women's team still maintained a steady training pace. Two friendly matches with the HCMC women's club with tall foreign players created a valuable context for strength and competition, just as Duyen emphasized: the experience against opponents with superior physique helps the whole team adjust their ability to confront each other directly and gain experience for similar situations.
Military training plan: Viet Tri before going to Japan
As planned, on November 16, the Vietnamese women's team will travel to Viet Tri (Phu Tho) to continue training, before leaving for Japan for training. This is considered an important stage to improve physical strength, technical tactics and the ability to compete in an international environment.
Group B and schedule of the Vietnamese women's team at SEA Games 33
In women's football, the Vietnamese women's team is in Group B with Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines. According to the schedule at Chonburi Stadium, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team will meet Malaysia on December 5, meet the Philippines on December 8 and close the group stage with a match against Myanmar on December 11.
| Day | Competitor | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 05/12 | Malaysia | Chonburi |
| 08/12 | Philippines | Chonburi |
| 11/12 | Myanmar | Chonburi |
Knockout format
The top two teams will advance to the semi-finals on December 14 at Chonburi Stadium or TNSU Chonburi Stadium, depending on the performance of the host team Thailand. The final and bronze medal match will be held on December 17 at Chonburi Stadium.
Perspective of Tran Thi Duyen's comeback
From her personal story of coming back from injury to her sustained training schedule and fitness tests in friendly matches, Duyen’s motivation for the 33rd SEA Games is clear. With experience at the club level and a structured preparation cycle, the goal of qualifying for the regional tournament becomes a measure of the defender’s efforts and also reflects the readiness of the Vietnamese women’s team ahead of the busy competition period in early December.
