Losing 0-2 to Japan, Vietnam women's team ends Paris Olympics qualifying journey

The Vietnamese women's team entered the final match of the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers against the Japanese women's team. There are not many opportunities to continue, but this is a meaningful match for Huynh Nhu and her teammates. The players entered the field with high determination to achieve good results in their last time working with coach Mai Duc Chung.

On the other side of the front line, the Japanese women's team fielded a strong lineup. It was no surprise that the team from the land of the rising sun quickly took control of the game and pressured the Vietnamese women's team. However, compared to the heavy 0-7 loss at the 19th ASIAD, Huynh Nhu and her teammates did better this time.

The Japanese players did not attack at a high tempo. They kept a moderate pace but still had opportunities to approach the Vietnamese women's team's goal. In such situations, goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang played well and successfully blocked many dangerous shots from the opponent.

Until the end of the first half, the Vietnamese women's team still showed great determination and effort. They calmly stuck to the strikers of the Japanese women's team. Unfortunately, the goal came from a moment of lapse in concentration.

In the 40th minute, striker Huynh Nhu could not keep the ball under pressure from the opponent. Then, Hinata Miyazawa escaped down the left wing, passed the ball conveniently for Risa Shimizu to tap the ball into the goal to open the score for Japan.

Just a few minutes later, the equalizer almost came for the Vietnamese women's team. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung took a dangerous corner kick and sent the ball straight into the opponent's goal. The Japanese goalkeeper could not block it, but the ball did not curve enough to score.

In the second half, the Vietnamese women's team continued to persevere with a solid defensive style of play. In the 53rd minute, Miyabi Moriya took advantage of Tran Thi Hai Linh's indecisive clearance to shoot from close range, doubling the gap for the Japanese women's team. After this goal, the Japanese women's team slowed down the pace of the match.

With their physical strength significantly reduced, the Vietnamese women's team could only try to defend and it was very difficult to launch dangerous counterattacks. Khong Thi Hang continued to play excellently with many impressive saves. In the end, the Vietnamese women's team lost 0-2 to Japan.

Score

Japan: Shimizu (40'); Miyabi Moriya (53')

Lineup

Vietnam: Khong Thi Hang (20), Nguyen Thi My Anh (22), Luong Thi Thu Thuong (2), Tran Thi Hai Linh (10), Le Thi Diem My (13), Ngan Thi Van Su (21), Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung (7), Duong Thi Van (16), Huynh Nhu (9), Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (15), Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha

Japan: Momoko Tanaka (18), Risa Shimizu (2), Moeka Minami (3), Saki Kumagai (4), Hinata Miyazawa (7), Fuka Nagano (10), Mina Tanaka (11), Hana Takahashi (12), Jun Endo (13), Yui Hasegawa (14), Remina Chiba (22)