Vietnam women's national team suffered a heavy 6-goal defeat to China

During the second friendly in Shenzhen, the Vietnam women's team endured a substantial 1-6 defeat.

On the evening of February 13, in the return friendly held in Shenzhen, the Vietnam women's team lost 1-6 to the Chinese women's team. This was the final test for Coach Mai Đức Chung's squad during their one-week training camp abroad, where the coaching staff prioritized evaluating the lineup and the players' ability to handle pressure against one of Asia's top teams.

At kickoff, Vietnam's starting lineup remained almost unchanged from the previous meeting. Kim Thanh guarded the goal as the experienced last line of defense. The backline included Diễm My, Trần Thị Duyên, and Trần Thị Thu, while upfront, trust was placed in Thanh Nhã's speed and the wide-ranging activity of Vạn Sự and Hải Yến. The most notable adjustment was giving Bích Thùy a starting role to strengthen the midfield's fighting spirit.

Unlike the cautious approach in the first leg, Vietnam boldly chose a more open game this time, pushing forward to seek counterattack opportunities. However, deciding to engage in direct play against an opponent superior in height, speed, and coordination put continuous pressure on their defensive system. China launched relentless attacks with fast-paced passing, forcing the red-shirted players into a constant struggle to defend.

After 90 minutes, Kim Thanh's net was shaken six times. Despite this, Vietnam’s efforts were rewarded with a consolation goal by Thanh Nhã — a moment that demonstrated the team's persistence and never-give-up attitude. This goal somewhat relieved the psychological pressure on Coach Mai Đức Chung’s players and provided a rare positive highlight in a match where the difference in class was clearly evident.

Overall, after two encounters in China, Vietnam lost with an aggregate score of 1-8. A few days earlier, in the first leg on February 10, the team was defeated 0-2. This result extended a series of challenging trial matches, as before traveling to Shenzhen, the team also lost to Uzbekistan's women's team with a combined score of 1-6 across two friendlies. Nonetheless, the coaching staff identified the primary goal as recognizing weaknesses to make adjustments.

Facing strong opponents consecutively has provided valuable professional data. Young players had the chance to experience high-intensity competition, learn to adapt to pressure, and build match resilience.According to the plan, the team will return home on February 15, concluding the training camp. The entire team will then have a break to reunite with their families for the Tet holiday before regrouping to complete final preparations for the next phase aimed at the continental finals in March.