The coach of Vietnam's greatest football team only cited reasons for the 0-3 loss in Laos.

Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi explained that the severe weather conditions in Laos and a physical disadvantage led TP.HCM to encounter numerous setbacks.

TP.HCM Women's Club officially concluded their journey in the quarter-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League 2025/26 after a 0-3 defeat against Naegohyang (North Korea), in a match played on the afternoon of March 28 under extremely hot weather conditions.

From the start of the match, both teams entered cautiously, but Naegohyang quickly gained control and continuously applied pressure. Throughout most of the first half, the ball mainly rolled on TP.HCM's side of the field. Nevertheless, the defensive line and the solid performance of goalkeeper Kim Thanh helped the Vietnamese representative hold firm.

The turning point came in the 40th minute when Kim Hye Yong leaped high for a close-range header, opening the scoring for the North Korean team following a precise cross.

In the second half, TP.HCM proactively changed personnel and pushed their formation higher to seek an equalizing goal. However, against an opponent superior in physical strength and speed, the players under Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi could not create many significant opportunities. Conversely, Naegohyang continued to increase pressure and scored two more goals by Jong Kum (66th minute) and Kim Hye Yong from a penalty (84th minute), sealing a 3-0 victory. The match demonstrated the comprehensive superiority of the North Korean representative, particularly in physical foundation and offensive organization.

Sharing after the match, Coach Doan Thi Kim Chi said the hot weather reaching 38 degrees Celsius in Laos greatly affected the physical strength of TP.HCM players, especially since the squad has many players over 30 years old. Additionally, the team faced difficulties as key pillars like Chuong Thi Kieu, Kim Yen, and Tuyet Ngân had not fully recovered from injuries, while some other players were busy with national team duties or competing on multiple fronts, leading to a lack of cohesion.

Even though they played a disciplined first half with correct tactics, a lapse in concentration at the end of the half caused TP.HCM to break their plan. In the second half, when forced to push their formation higher, the team faced even more disadvantage in duels against an opponent with a superior physical foundation.

Ending their journey on the continental stage, TP.HCM Women's Club will return for a short rest before entering the preparation phase for the upcoming National Women's Cup. This tournament is predicted to be competitive as many teams have made investments and thorough preparations.

TP.HCM Women's Club is considered the greatest women's football team in Vietnam's history, holding the record of 13 national championships (6 consecutive), 3 National Cup titles, and being the Southeast Asian women's club with the best performance in Asia by reaching the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Champions League in the 2024/2025 season.

The coach of the Vietnamese team directly pointed out reasons for the 0-3 loss in the Asian competition.

The Vietnamese team officially bid farewell to the Asian tournament after a painful defeat.