Chinese Taipei started the match with a proactive approach, controlling possession and pushing forward early in search of a goal. During the opening 10 minutes, they dominated the ball but failed to create serious threats against goalkeeper Kim Thanh.

The decisive moment came in the 26th minute. After a quick attacking move, Matsunaga Saki struck the crossbar with a powerful shot inside the penalty area. Su Yu Hsuan reacted fastest to the rebound and tapped the ball home to give Chinese Taipei a 1-0 lead.

Vietnam responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser. In the 29th minute, Tran Thi Duyen had a good chance inside the box after a pass from Hai Yen, but her effort narrowly missed the target.

In the second half, head coach Mai Duc Chung brought on Huynh Nhu to strengthen the attack. Vietnam gradually gained more control and applied pressure on the opposition defence.

In the 68th minute, Vietnamese players appealed for a penalty when the ball appeared to hit a Chinese Taipei defender’s hand inside the box following a shot from Bich Thuy. However, the referee waved play on and did not consult VAR.

Despite strong attacking efforts in the final minutes, Vietnam could not find the equaliser, and the match ended with a 1-0 victory for Chinese Taipei.

Speaking after the match, head coach Mai Duc Chung admitted that the team did not perform at their best but remained optimistic about the upcoming challenge.

“We did not play as well as expected today. The players tried their best, but there are still areas we need to improve. The next match against Japan will be a big challenge, but we will prepare carefully and give our best,” he said.

After two matches, the situation in Group C is wide open. Japan currently top the group with three points from one match and a +2 goal difference. Chinese Taipei sit second with three points from two matches, while Vietnam also have three points but are placed third due to the head-to-head result. India are currently bottom of the group with no points.

In the final round of the group stage, Vietnam will face tournament favourites Japan. While it will be a tough challenge, Vietnam still hold a strong advantage in the race to qualify as one of the two best third-placed teams.

Vietnam currently have a goal difference of 2-2, which is significantly better than other third-placed teams such as the Philippines (0-4) and Uzbekistan (0-6).

This means that even if Vietnam fail to secure points against Japan, they could still advance to the quarterfinals as long as they avoid a heavy defeat and maintain a competitive goal difference.

Vietnam are scheduled to take on Japan in the decisive match at 16:00 on March 10, which will determine their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Advantage for Vietnam ahead of Women’s Asian Cup match against Chinese Taipei

VOV.VN - Vietnam head into a decisive group match against Chinese Taipei with a clear advantage in the race for a quarterfinal spot at the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup that is taking place in Australia.