Women's team work hard for World Cup dream
Vietnamese players are working hard to make their World Cup dream true, especially since the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) recently decided to withdraw from Asian Cup qualification.
The Women’s Asian Cup in India in January-February 2022 is part of qualification for the 2023 World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The six best teams from the Asian Cup will qualify for the World Cup.
In FIFA's latest ranking, Vietnam are No 32 in the world and No 6 in Asia behind Australia, Japan, the DPRK, China and the Republic of Korea.
Without world No 11 DPRK at the Indian tournament, Vietnam will have a better chance to secure one of the continental slots.
Their first task is winning the qualifier to be held in Tajikistan in September.
"Results in the Asian Cup qualifier will decide if we can advance to the final (and then World Cup). We are practising really hard in preparation for the tournament," said midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung.
After nearly one-month training in Hanoi, coach Mai Duc Chung saw big changes in his team with the gathering of old and young, veteran and inexperienced players.
"We have focused on improving their physique under new fitness coach Cedric Roger. My players have shown positive changes, especially the injured ones," said Chung.
"Dang Thi Mai and Le Thi Thuy Trang are two fresh women of the team. They faced difficulty in the first days with the team but now have caught up.
"Two veterans Pham Hoang Quynh and Tran Thi Thuy Trang have returned after months of absence. They are older than the others but still work well."
Chung and the team also spent time to watch the Olympic football matches of Australia and Japan. Australia as a World Cup co-host have already taken a slot at the 2023 tournament while Japan will play Vietnam at the coming Asian Cup.
Players who have just cancelled their training camp in Quang Ninh province because of worry about the COVID-19 pandemic will have several tests and friendly matches with local clubs this month before a short training course training in the UAE.
"Our plan will be based on what happens with the pandemic. We have also proposed arriving in the UAE earlier than the previous schedule and arranged friendly matches with teams from West Asia or Europe," said Chung.
At the September 13-25 qualifier, Vietnam are in Group B with hosts Tajikistan, the Maldives and Afghanistan.
"We have not played them in the past and their real strength is unclear to us. Therefore we must have good preparation and focus on every single match for the best result," said Dung.
"We target the group's top place to advance to the finals, and will play well in the Indian event. I am confident that we will have chance to participate in the World Cup for the first time," said Dung who missed World Cup chances twice in play-off matches in 2015 and 2019.
The talented midfielder, who banged in two goals from two corner kicks in a match at the 2015 AFF Women’s Championship, wants to realise the World Cup dream not only for herself but also for coach Chung.
The 71-year-old recently told reporters that though he has grabbed a number of title and medals from regional and continental with both men's and women's teams and clubs, he now just wishes to enjoy a World Cup once in his career.
