The Vietnamese women's national football team is ready to spring a surprise in the "group of death" at the 2026 Asian Games.

Vietnam's women's squad is intensively perfecting their gameplay, with a special focus on defensive counter-attacking tactics, ahead of the 2026 Asian Games.

After nearly a week of training camp, the Vietnamese women's team is gradually adapting to the new training regimen under coach Hoang Van Phuc. In addition to emphasizing physical fitness, the team is also accelerating the refinement of tactical systems, especially the ability to defend and counter-attack, to be ready for the challenges at the 2026 Asian Games.

In recent training sessions, the intensity has been raised with more competitive drills and specific tactical demands. Defender Diem My shared that she and her teammates are gradually getting used to the new coaching methods while maintaining high concentration in every exercise. “For me personally, this is my first experience under Coach Phuc. The drills he designs are very fast-paced, mostly involving one-on-one duels, while also focusing on correcting tactical issues and preparing the team lineup. The training intensity is quite high,” Diem My said.

Besides tightening tactical discipline, Coach Hoang Van Phuc also fosters a relatively relaxed atmosphere to help players quickly integrate. Diem My commented: “Coach Phuc can be very serious at times, but he also jokes and laughs with the players. When the session starts, I think everyone is serious.” Notably, the counter-attacking defensive tactic is considered one of the key strategies the team is aiming for. “Coach Phuc has started to have the team practice formations, specific drills, and counter-attacking defensive moves. The whole team has been guided on how to play in preparation for different opponents like Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand,” Diem My shared.

At the 2026 Asian Games, the Vietnamese women's team has been drawn into a challenging group with Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Thailand. Japan is rated as the clear favorite, while Vietnam has a realistic chance to compete with the other two opponents if they maintain stability and organization. Diem My acknowledged that this is a tough group but opportunities remain open: “Japan is at a higher level than us. As for Thailand and Taiwan, I think they are relatively equal. We faced Chinese Taipei at the finals in Australia; although we lost, looking back at the match, we could still compete. The whole team will try our best to secure a spot in the next round.”

With some experienced players absent, the role of veterans like Diem My becomes even more important. She stated that she does not see this as pressure but as an opportunity to support her younger teammates. “I don't feel pressured. As a senior, I will try to set an example for the younger ones to follow and guide them on areas where they need improvement,” Diem My said.

The coming days will be a crucial period for the Vietnamese women's team to finalize the squad, enhance the cohesion between lines, and define their tactical approach more clearly. Besides professional goals, the encouragement for the men's team has also become a special source of motivation for the female players, as they aim to create a positive image and attract an ever-growing audience at the 2026 Asian Games.