Vietnam Women's National Team Defeats Jiangsu Club 1-0: A Victory of Tactical Discipline

This afternoon at a training ground in China, the Vietnam women's national team defeated Jiangsu Women's Club with a score of 1-0 during their training camp preparing for ASIAD 2026. The only goal of the match was scored by striker Hải Yến in the 14th minute. This victory not only brings joy but, more importantly, clearly reflects the tactical imprints that the coaching staff are pursuing. Head coach Hoàng Văn Phúc intentionally kept the starting lineup stable for the first 60 minutes. This was the time for his players to absorb the team's overall tactical operation. Only from the 61st minute did the coaching staff begin making substitutions to test the capabilities of reserve players. In total, Vietnam made 10 substitutions between the 61st and 87th minutes, demonstrating a sensible squad experimentation plan. Notably, despite significant personnel changes, the Vietnam women's national team maintained a solid game. The players kept a reasonable formation distance, organized a tight defense, and waited for opportunities from transition situations. This tactical discipline helped the team neutralize all opponent attacks and preserve the 1-0 scoreline until the end of the match. Speaking after the match, Jiangsu Club coach Miguel Santos praised the Vietnam women's national team. He highly regarded the defensive organization and the effectiveness of transitions from defense to attack as well as counterattacks by Hoàng Văn Phúc's players. However, the foreign coach also pointed out that Vietnam needs to continue improving attacking organization, especially in ball control, ball circulation, and creating space. The observations from the opponent are considered extremely objective and useful. They show that Vietnam's current strengths lie in defensive solidity and discipline, while the weakness to overcome is creativity and sharpness in attack. These are problems the coaching staff need to solve in the coming time to aim for a successful ASIAD. This victory brings positive signals for the Vietnam women's national team in their preparation for ASIAD 2026. According to the schedule, the team will have another friendly match against the Chinese women's national team on September 9. This will be a truly serious and high-quality test, helping the coaching staff have the most comprehensive view of the team's strength ahead of the major tournament. Coach Hoàng Văn Phúc shows initiative and methodology in building the squad. Keeping the lineup stable in the first half and early second half shows he prioritizes testing the tactical operation of the main lineup before giving reserve players the opportunity to show their abilities. This approach reflects a scientific and methodical working mindset, aiming at long-term goals rather than immediate results. Hải Yến, who scored the only goal of the match, demonstrated the sharpness and ability to seize opportunities of a top striker. The early goal in the 14th minute not only gave the team the lead but also created a comfortable mentality for the whole team to deploy the game according to the coaching staff's tactical intentions. However, alongside the bright spots, the match also revealed some problems that the team needs to overcome soon. The ability to control the ball and create opportunities in organized attacks remains limited. This sets a requirement for the coaching staff in developing exercises to improve ball circulation and space creation in front of the opponent's penalty area. The praise from the opposing coach for the Vietnam women's national team is valuable recognition, but it should also be viewed soberly. The friendly match with Jiangsu Club is only part of a long preparation process. The real challenge will come when the team faces stronger opponents in the region, where harshness and pressure are inevitable. The match against the Chinese women's national team on September 9 will be the best opportunity to test the true strength of the Vietnam women's national team ahead of ASIAD 2026. This will be an important test for the coaching staff to re-evaluate everything done so far and what needs improvement before entering the official tournament.