VIETNAMESE LEGENDS BACK HOSTS TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS AT ASEAN WOMEN’S MSIG SERENITY CUP™ 2025

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19 Jun 2025

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Two decades after helping their country to win the ASEAN Women’s Championship for the first time, Vietnamese women’s football legends Bùi Thị Hiền Lương and Văn Thị Thanh believe that the current national team has what it takes to be victorious again on home soil in this year’s edition of the ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup™.

Văn Thị Thanh was a star player for Vietnam and Hiền Lương worked as an assistant coach when the country hosted and won a four-team round-robin tournament in Ho Chi Minh City in 2006, with victories in all three of their games against Thailand, Myanmar and Chinese Taipei.

Vietnam will host the tournament again this year with matches in Hải Phòng and Việt Trì from 6 to 19 August, and the pair have backed the hosts, led by veteran head coach Mai Đức Chung, to lift the trophy for a fourth time following their triumphs in 2006, 2012 and 2019.

“I am confident that Vietnam has the capability to reach the final, and with determination and careful preparation, our team can aim for the highest goal of winning the 2025 ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup™,” says Văn Thị Thanh, who scored 23 goals in 58 games for Vietnam from 2003 to 2009.

“Coach Mai Đức Chung is making strong reforms in the squad and giving many young players opportunities to prove themselves,” added Hiền Lương, who captained her country to Southeast Asian Games gold medals in 2001 and 2003:

“This is a very promising new generation, supplemented by experienced players and under the leadership of an experienced coach. Along with the advantage of playing on home soil and the support of the fans, I believe Vietnam has great potential to advance deep and achieve good results in this tournament.”

Văn Thị Thanh feels the draw has worked out well for the hosts. Vietnam are in Group A alongside Thailand, the competition’s most successful team with four titles, and qualifiers Indonesia and Cambodia.

“I think the draw result is quite favourable for Vietnam as they are mainly competing with familiar rival Thailand for the top two positions in the group,” she said.

“The real challenge will come in the semi-finals, because in the other group there are three very strong teams – Australia, the Philippines and Myanmar. They will be competing fiercely for a spot in the semi-finals, where Vietnam are likely to face one of them. If Vietnam wants to advance further, they must prepare well for these tough opponents.”

While their days as competitive football players are over, Hiền Lương and Văn Thị Thanh remain involved in the sport’s development in their homeland, and both believe that there is much to look forward to for young women who want to play the game in Vietnam.

“I believe the future of Vietnamese women's football is very bright. With increasing attention from society, the governing bodies and fans, women’s football is steadily developing,” said Hiền Lương, a qualified medical doctor, who is now a senior official in the Sports Authority of Vietnam.

“More importantly, we have many talented, well-trained, and passionate young players. I hope Vietnamese women’s football will continue to maintain its top position in Southeast Asia and expand its reach at the continental level and even the world, in the near future.”

Added Văn Thị Thanh, who is now head coach of Vietnamese top-flight side Thái Nguyên T&T Women’s FC: “Vietnamese women's football has recently received more attention from fans, the media and organisers. Especially since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the spirit and image of our female players have greatly inspired the younger generation.

“I hope there will be more tournaments and well-structured training programs to give young girls better opportunities to train from an early age. With proper investment and the determination of the players, Vietnamese women's football can truly rise, not only in the region but also across Asia and the world.”

Vietnam will open their MSIG Serenity Cup™ 2025 campaign against Cambodia on 6 August, before facing Indonesia on 9 August and Thailand on 12 August. All of their Group A games will be played at Lạch Tray Stadium in Hải Phòng.

The top tour teams in each group will progress to the semi-finals at Lạch Tray Stadium on Saturday 16 August, with the final taking place at the same venue on 19 August.

The tournament comes during a period of remarkable growth for women’s football in Southeast Asia, with ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) member nations making impressive strides on the world stage. Thailand qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019 while Vietnam and the Philippines joined Australia at the 2023 edition, where the Matildas reached the semi-finals.

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