Coach Mai Duc Chung aims to secure points against Japan

The Vietnamese team has repeatedly lost to Japan, but Coach Mai Duc Chung is confident that if they exert full effort, he and his students can achieve points against this rival.

At the pre-match press conference, Coach Mai Duc Chung stated: "We face a tough challenge against Japan, one of the strongest teams in Asia and the world.

We greatly respect them, as well as other teams in the group, but this is the final group stage match and we will strive to our utmost even against such a strong opponent.

Our previous match was held in the early afternoon, so the weather was very hot, but the next match starts at 5:00 PM, so conditions will be cooler. However, when facing a top team like Japan, every team must give their best effort.

We have faced the Japanese team many times before. They always play very seriously and do not ease off even when leading the group. I am fully aware of this, so every team must strive to their maximum.

Of course, within the team, we also need to employ tactics to find the best way to secure points against Japan."

At the 2026 Asian Cup, the Japanese team has scored 13 goals without conceding and wants to conclude the group stage campaign with a perfect record, while the Vietnamese team needs a win to maintain their slim hope.

After the 11-0 victory over India in the second match, head coach Nils Nielsen wants to maintain the positive momentum but remains wary of the threat from the Vietnamese team.

"We will approach this match with tight organization and structure across the entire team.

Vietnam is a very fast team, especially in counter-attacks, so we also need to be ready to play at a high tempo. Hopefully we can overcome this challenge.

This match is very important and we want to sustain the positive momentum as we continue preparing for the knockout stage by refining small details in our play. A win will help solidify that progress.

Finishing the group stage in the top position is crucial for logistical reasons. If we top the group, we will not need to travel when playing the quarter-finals. We only have to go to Sydney once, and if we continue winning, we can stay in the same place. It would be very beneficial if we finish as group winners."

The composure of the Japanese team was tested in the 2-0 win over Chinese Taipei in the first match, but Nielsen is not concerned about continuing to rotate the squad.

We have a squad capable of adjustments without reducing quality. Almost everyone has participated in the tournament, so they understand their roles.

Vietnam is a team that can pose danger to any opponent. They have very good speed and some truly talented players. This will be a different challenge compared to our first two matches, but it's a challenge we are ready for. Facing teams with different styles is good.

Defeating Japan may be a difficult task, but head coach Mai Duc Chung believes his students can overcome the challenge following the 1-0 loss to Chinese Taipei.

Japan has won all five previous encounters with the Vietnamese team at the AFC Asian Cup, scoring at least three goals in each match.

If they win for the sixth time, Vietnam will become the team Japan has faced most without losing in this tournament, currently tied with Hong Kong at five wins.

The 11-0 victory over India was Japan's 49th clean sheet in the tournament's history.

Only the Chinese team (51 matches) has more clean sheets than Japan in the history of the Women's Asian Cup.

The Vietnamese team lost 1-0 to Chinese Taipei in their most recent Women's Asian Cup match; the last time they lost two consecutive matches in the tournament was during an eight-match losing streak from May 2014 to January 2022.

View news for the 2026 Women's Championship

View Schedule for the 2026 Women's Championship

View Standings for the 2026 Women's Championship

View Football Results for the 2026 Women's Championship