Vietnam U20 opts for defensive strategy, Thailand confident

Following a 3-0 defeat to China in their first game, Vietnam Women's U20 have set strong resolve for their second-round clash against host Thailand in the AFC Women's U20 Asian Cup 2026.

Vietnam Women's U20 will face Thailand Women's U20 on April 4th, a match considered crucial in the competition for the second-place spot in Group A.

Coach Okiyama stated the team will focus on physical recovery and continue with the defensive counter-attacking style: "First, we will recover well to ensure the players' fitness.

In the match against Thailand, we will still maintain the defensive counter-attacking approach, strive to win the ball from opponents and organize effective counter-attacks."

According to tournament regulations, the top two teams from each group and the two best third-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. This also provides the basis for Vietnam Women's U20 to continue pursuing their goal of competing for a progression ticket at the AFC Women's U20 Asian Cup 2026.

Regarding Thailand Women's U20, head coach Ruedee Sarathongvien said: "The players were somewhat nervous as this was their first time playing at home, causing us to forget our practiced style in the first half.

After the break, we discussed, encouraged, and emphasized that what we trained was completely correct, thanks to which in the last 20 minutes of the second half, the team played more in line with their identity. The players deserve praise for their effort and not giving up."

She further explained the tactical adjustments that helped Thailand U20 secure a 3-2 win: "We pointed out the mistakes, ways to limit Bangladesh's strengths as well as find solutions to exploit opponents' weaknesses. Simultaneously reminding players not to forget the team's style."

Commenting on the next match against Vietnam U20, she said: "In the upcoming match against Vietnam, we will try to perform better than the first game, especially regarding confidence. I think this will be an exciting match as the two teams have met before, and Vietnam also has very good preparation.

Overall, I am pleased the team earned 3 points in the opening match as targeted. However, there are still many areas to improve for the team to progress further in upcoming matches.

The match between Vietnam Women's U20 and Thailand U20 will take place at 20:00 on April 4th at Thammasat Stadium.