Vietnam head coach Mai Đức Chung has set his sights on a run to the final of ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup™ when the tournament hosts kick off the 2025 edition of the regional championship in Hải Phòng on Tuesday.
The Vietnamese, who reached the semi-finals in 2022, will take on Cambodia in their opening game at Lạch Tray Stadium with veteran tactician Đức Chung confident that home field advantage will give his team added incentive to make a positive start.
“Playing at home will be a great motivation for the entire team to push harder,” said the 74-year-old, who is currently in his fifth spell as head coach of Vietnam.
“The tournament is receiving strong attention from leaders, fans and the coaching staff. It is the highest-level competition in the region, and we have high expectations.
“The direct support from the home crowd will energise and motivate the players. However, if the results don’t meet expectations the pressure will also be significant. Nevertheless, we believe the support from fans will provide extra motivation for the players to perform better.
“Our goal is to reach the final. To achieve this, the entire team must stay determined and each player must give their best effort. As we are in the middle of a squad transition, the younger players still need time to grow and develop.”
Vietnam will also face Thailand and Indonesia in Group A of the eight-nation tournament while Group B features defending champions the Philippines, Myanmar, Australia and Timor-Leste and will be played in Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ.
The group stage will run from 6 to 13 August with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the semi-finals, which will be played on 16 August at Lạch Tray Stadium. The third-place play-off and the final will be held at the same venue on 19 August.
Vietnam last won the title in 2019 when a solitary goal in extra-time from Huỳnh Như secured a 1-0 victory over Thailand in Chonburi, sealing the country’s third success in the competition since its inauguration in 2004. Vietnam’s other wins came in 2006 and 2012.
Huỳnh Như remains a key member of the team and is set to captain a squad that features a mixture of youth and experience as Đức Chung looks to lead the country to the knock-out stage.
“Currently, most of our key players are still from the older generation,” says Đức Chung. “While the younger players are not fully ready yet, we are gradually integrating them into the squad, blending the generations.
“This generation has made great progress, especially in terms of tactics. The team now trains in a more structured way and is becoming familiar with modern formations instead of relying solely on traditional ones.
“Meeting increasingly high demands requires the players to absorb knowledge and improve at a faster pace.”
Four-time champions Thailand will meet Indonesia in the opening match at 4.30pm on Wednesday at Lạch Tray Stadium, before Vietnam begin their Group A campaign against Cambodia at 7.30pm.
Group B will get under way on Thursday at Việt Trì Stadium with Myanmar taking on Australia at 4:30pm, and the Philippines facing Timor-Leste at 7.30pm.
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