Mai Duc Chung and Pham Hai Anh: It is time for Vietnam women's team to boldly give young players their chance at Asiad 2026

Asiad 2026 women's football witnessed a strange moment for Vietnam. After a 0-0 draw with Thailand, Vietnam still advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to a wildcard spot. The result fulfilled the target, but the performance left many questions. According to an analysis based on Tuoi Tre newspaper, former head coach Mai Duc Chung and former assistant Pham Hai Anh both said it is time to give young players real opportunities. Vietnam drew with Thailand, lost to Chinese Taipei and Japan in the group stage. The two defeats showed the team is still in a difficult transition. Against Thailand, Vietnam had a relaxed mentality and favorable results from other groups. Yet the team played cautiously and used many older players. The most attacking performance expected from Vietnam did not happen. Mai Duc Chung defended coach Hoang Van Phuc, saying he had done more than well enough to reach the quarterfinal target. But the former coach also urged the new coach to boldly promote young players. Pham Hai Anh agreed. He believes young players are capable, but they have not received enough minutes to prove themselves. The tactical problem is clear in the 3-4-3 formation. Vietnam used three center-backs, four midfielders and three forwards. The formation is not the issue. The problem is role assignment. Players like Ngan Thi Van Su and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy are natural wingers, but they were placed in central midfield. They looked stuck. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha, a natural attacker, was asked to play as a wing-back. She could not push forward for almost the whole match. Nguyen Thi Hoa is the clearest example of positional instability. She was used in three matches at three different positions. This suggests coach Hoang Van Phuc is still searching for his best lineup. That is normal in a rebuild, but it creates uncertainty for players. A player needs a fixed role to develop consistency. There are bright spots. Nguyen Thi Truc Huong held the ball and controlled midfield well. Ngoc Minh Chuyen showed the ability to break through. But Minh Chuyen only played 30 seconds in one previous match and about one minute against Thailand. That is not enough time to prove anything. The quarterfinal against China is seen as a valuable learning opportunity. Vietnam had lost heavily to China in a pre-tournament training camp. Mai Duc Chung said the China match is important for young players to gain experience and learn. China may not be as strong as Japan, but it is still a very high mountain for Vietnam. The real question is whether coach Hoang Van Phuc will trust young players in a match where the result is not expected to be positive. If he keeps using veterans and loses, the team loses twice. If he gives young players meaningful minutes, even a defeat can become an investment for the next cycle. Vietnam women's team needs to complete its generational transition. The best moment to begin is now, against China, where the pressure of winning is lower. The future of Vietnamese women's football will be shaped by the decisions made in this quarterfinal.