China confirmed their ticket to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 win over Vietnam in their AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China Group A tie at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports.
The win took China to six points, two clear of Thailand, who they face on Thursday. Vietnam, on one point, face a Myanmar side who have lost both their matches.
Thailand had to work hard before edging Myanmar 1-0 in their tie.
China were quick to settle with Liu Yuxi and Wu Yichen seeing their efforts from inside a packed box blocked, with Zhao Siqing then testing Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Cam My from distance.
Vietnam stayed composed in a low defensive block as they continued to repel China’s advances with Yang Ruixue missing the target from outside the area in the seventh minute before Thi Cam My saved a Liu Yuxi long-range effort.
The East Asian side, however, found the breakthrough in the 16th minute courtesy of Xu Xiaotang’s accuracy, her corner delivery setting up Ju Zhitong for a glancing header into the top left corner.
As Vietnam looked to respond, China caught their opponents on the counter-attack with Ju Zhitong doubling her tally in the 32nd minute, finishing a smart run into the box with a neat strike from Wu Yichen’s cross.
China maintained their dominance in the second half as Cheng Wandi rose highest to turn in Zhao Siqing’s corner delivery in the 49th minute.
Vietnam nearly conceded again six minutes later when Yang Ruixue was left unmarked inside the box and unleashed a powerful drive but Thi Cam My stayed composed to foil the effort.
Meanwhile, Thailand had the first opportunity when Warantorn Pongkoksi received the ball on the edge of the box in the third minute and teed up Aunchidtha Homtago for the shot, which was blasted high over the bar.
Myanmar’s opening came in the 10th minute when Sai Hwal Nan showed her pace and power to run on to a long punt from defence, escaping a defender to open up the space for a shot that sailed just over the bar.
The deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when Myanmar failed to clear a loose ball in their own box despite repeated attempts, allowing Miricah Murdoch the chance to blast home from close range.
The second half proved to be a more cagey affair with the teams matching each other well.
It took until the 61st minute for the first clear chance of the half to be created, Thailand’s Thidawan Wangchin dribbled into the box past Thaw Dar Hnin, but her shot from an acute angle was punched away by Myanmar custodian Saung Pwint Phyu.
As Myanmar poured forward in search of the equaliser, Thidawan almost exploited the gaps at the back through a counter attacking move but Saung was up to the task to deny the Thai forward.
