Vietnamese (in red) and Iranian futsal players are in action during their final group-stage matchup at the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025 in China, May 11, 2025. Photo: Asian Football Confederation
Vietnam topped Group B with seven points after a goalless draw against defending champions Iran on Sunday in China.
The result set up a quarterfinal clash on Tuesday against Japan, who finished second in Group C following a 1-3 loss to Thailand in their final group-stage match on the same day.
Vietnam had anticipated the possibility of meeting a top-10 team in the quarterfinals.
With a superior goal difference and Iran unlikely to push for the top position to avoid a tougher draw, Vietnam’s path to the knockout stage appeared set in advance.
“The match intensity was not high as both teams had tactical considerations,” head coach Nguyen Dinh Hoang said after the draw with Iran.
Japan, ranked 10th in the world, sit just one place above Vietnam in the FIFA rankings, but the gap in experience and performance remains significant.
Vietnam lost 1-4 to Japan in a recent friendly during a training camp.
Japan also posted a 5-2 win over Indonesia in the group stage, and despite Sunday’s loss to Thailand, they remain one of the title contenders.
In an invitational tournament in April in Thailand, Japan defeated the hosts 6-1 in the final and kept clean sheets against Iran and Uzbekistan.
The Japanese side are seen to have a more favorable path in the knockout stage, with a potential semifinal against Iran or Taiwan.
Despite the challenge, Vietnam enter the match with confidence.
Hoang rested key players in the draw with Iran, aiming to conserve energy for the quarterfinals regardless of the opponents.
Facing Japan could be a more manageable scenario for Vietnam than a rematch against Thailand.
Although Vietnam beat Thailand for the first time in the 2024 ASEAN Women’s Futsal Championship final, the Thai side still hold a stronger position in the regional futsal landscape.
“Our goal remains to finish in the top three and qualify for the 2025 Women’s Futsal World Cup in the Philippines,” Hoang said.
The AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025, held in China from May 6 to 17, serves as the Asian qualifying tournament for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, scheduled to take place in the Philippines from November 21 to December 7.
The top three teams from the Asian Cup will secure the final three spots at the global event.
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