Japanese Coach Satisfied Despite Vietnam Team Missing World Cup Qualification

Following the quarter-final of the 2026 AFC U20 Women's Asian Championship against Japan's U20 women's team on April 11th, head coach Okiyama Masahiko conveyed his contentment with his players' fighting spirit, while stating that this game offered crucial learning points for the Vietnam U20 women's squad.

Commenting on his team's performance, Coach Okiyama Masahiko stated: “I am very pleased with the team's form today. They understood the tactics and executed them well, although there were some unfortunate situations where we conceded. With such an execution of our game plan, I am very satisfied.”

When asked about the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnam U20 women's team in the match, the Japanese tactician emphasized the team's unity and collective strength: “The strength is that all players are united and play strongly, not only defending but also daring to challenge through counter-attacks.”

Furthermore, he candidly pointed out areas needing improvement: “The weakness here is that despite playing very hard, after some situations the players still lost concentration. For example, not keeping up with the second ball led to conceding a goal, or there were still gaps in the last 2-3 minutes of each half.”

Evaluating the opponent, Japan's U20 women's team, Coach Okiyama Masahiko praised their professional quality and tactical organization: “The whole team has very good technique, organizes diverse attacks, and I think this is a team that can contend for the championship.”

Speaking about the achievement of reaching the quarter-finals for the Vietnam U20 women's team – the second time in history since 2004, Coach Okiyama Masahiko shared: “I know there was a change in the regulations, and reaching the quarter-finals was within our planned target. I am very happy to have achieved that goal. Vietnamese football is developing and we will strive to work to take it further.”

Tomorrow morning, the Vietnam U20 women's team will split into two groups returning to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to continue preparations for domestic competitions.