Vietnam defeated Bangladesh 1-0 in their final Group A of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Thailand.
With the win, Vietnam finished third in Group A but will have to wait for the remaining group stage matches to confirm a knockout stage spot as one of the best third-placed teams.
Vietnam showed their attacking intent first with midfielders Ngan Thi Thanh Hieu and Luu Hoang Van keeping Bangladesh goalkeeper Mile Akter on her toes in the early minutes.
Bangladesh also tried to make their presence felt in the eighth minute when Umehla Marma beat Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh on the left to find her way into the box, but her effort was swiftly blocked by defender Nguyen Thi Thuong.
Mosammat Sagorika then had a chance in the 12th minute after collecting Afeida Khandaker’s aerial ball, which Ta Thi Hong Minh failed to clear, but Vietnam goalkeeper Le Thi Thu reacted quickly to deny her.
Five minutes later, Hoang Van lobbed the ball over a number of Bangladesh defenders to set up Nguyen Thi Quy at the edge of the box, but the number 16’s effort went too high.
The South Asians had yet another chance in the 20th minute when the Vietnamese keeper almost let Puja Das’s free-kick slip past the goalmouth, but recovered to collect it.
In the next minute, Nguyen Thi Quy fed the ball to Hoang Van in the centre of the box, but the number nine’s close-range effort went skyward.
Vietnam should have taken the lead just ahead of the half-hour mark when Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh set up Hoang Van on the right with a precise cross, but the latter’s right-footed attempt soared above the crossbar.
The stalemate was finally broken three minutes into the second half when a free-kick in the defensive half saw defender Hong Minh unleash a powerful right-footed effort that travelled the length of the Bangladesh half.
The Bangladesh custodian did her best to parry it away but left the goalmouth unattended, allowing Thuy Linh to calmly tuck the loose ball into the net for Vietnam.
The lead injected the Okiyama Masahiko-led side with renewed energy as they kept their South Asian rivals under constant pressure.
The debutants nearly restored parity in the 70th minute when Momita Khatun sent in a cross towards Sagorika, who rose to meet it but failed to make contact with her header.
With five minutes left on the clock, Thuy Linh almost got her second when she positioned herself well to receive Than Hieu’s cross, but just failed to make contact with the ball.
China top table
China edged Thailand 1-0 to close their Group A campaign with maximum points at Thammasat Stadium.
With both sides already qualifying for the knockout stage coming into the match, the result sees the 2006 champions set up a quarter-final meeting with the best third-placed team from either Group B or C on Saturday. Thailand will face the Group B winners the following day.
Both sides made equally good starts, with China PR gradually gaining the upper hand as Xie Zongmei, Zhou Xinyi and Yu Xingyue tested keeper Atima Boonprakanpai from distance in the opening 10 minutes.
Zeng Yujia then beat the Thailand custodian in the 14th minute, only to have her effort ruled out for offside.
China continued to threaten, forcing Atima to scramble to deal with Yu Jiaqi’s flicked-on header in the 23rd minute after the forward made contact with a lovely 30-yard chip from captain Liu Ling.
The under-pressure keeper was finally beaten in the 29th minute when Xiao Yafei, after a short set-up by Jiaqi, let loose from 20 yards – the custodian blocking her shot only to see the ball deflect over her head and into the back of the net.
There was more danger from the East Asian side in the 40th minute as Jiaqi evaded the Thailand defence, with her shot from the centre of the area striking the left post before being safely cleared by defender Parichat Thongrong.
Thailand came close to equalising two minutes before the break when Madison Casteen got to the ball before the China backline, only for her surging run down the right to be undone by a tame shot at keeper Liu Chen.
Chonticha Panyarung took over from Atima between the posts in the second half, and stood alert as China ’s Li Ke, Zeng Yujia and Wang Aifang botched their attempts to increase the scoreline.
Thailand’s forays upfield also came to nothing as Kurisara Limpawanich’s attempt was easily saved by Liu while Prichakorn Kruechuenchom’s shot whizzed wide of the left post five minutes later after the midfielder made her way past the China PR defence.
Prichakorn and substitute Pichayatida Manowang both sent their shots over the bar as Thailand looked to level the score in the closing minutes but it was not to be as China PR finished at the top of the group.
