What did the Chinese U20 coach say after the 3-0 victory over Vietnam?

The head coach of the Chinese U20 team admitted facing challenges from the Vietnamese U20 defense in their Asian tournament opener.

In the opening match of the AFC U20 Championship 2026, the Chinese U20 women's team secured a 3-0 victory over the Vietnamese U20 women, temporarily moving to the top of Group A. The opponent dominated and controlled the game from the start, but Zheng Lu only scored twice late in the first half. In the 77th minute, Zeng Yujia sealed the win with a goal.

Speaking after the match, Chinese U20 coach Colin Bell shared:“I am very happy that the team won and utilized the width of the field well, but I think we could still play better,” he said. “Vietnam defended quite densely, so we had to try to exploit spaces and pass well. Initially, things didn’t go as planned, but eventually, that play led to our second goal.”

Regarding the game situation in the second half, Coach Colin Bell praised his players:“After leading 2-0 in the first half, we tried to maintain control of the match,” he said. “In the second half, we should have scored immediately, which would have made things easier, but I am satisfied with how the girls managed the game.”

On his part, Vietnam U20 coach Okiyama stated that despite the loss, his players followed the tactics:

“I think the team played quite well, and I am pleased they followed the coaching instructions. Of course, I regret the score, but I believe it was just individual mistakes and momentary loss of focus.”

In the next match, Vietnam U20 will face host Thailand, while China U20 will only meet Bangladesh U20.