China moved within touching distance of the AFC U20 Women\u2019s Asian Cup Thailand 2026 knockout stage with a 2-0 win against Bangladesh in their Group A tie at the Nonthaburi Stadium. In another Group A tie, Thailand cruised to a 4-1 win over Vietnam at the Thammasat Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was China’s the 2006 champions, second win and they will meet Thailand on Tuesday. Bangladesh, despite suffering consecutive defeats, still have a chance of progressing but will have to beat Vietnam in their concluding match.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China swarmed the Bangladesh goal from the start, but aside from Li Ke heading wide off a corner, failed to give keeper Mile Akter any cause for worry in the opening 15 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
They increased their intensity, however, with Lu Jiayu chipping over the bar from inside the six-yard box, Xiao Yafei\u2019s long range attempt blocked by Akter and Wang Aifang\u2019s 25-yard free-kick tipped away by the custodian to crash against the upright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An unmarked Lu Jiayu wasted a golden opportunity to put China ahead in the 43rd minute when her powerful header bounced off the pitch and over the bar before Akter made a crucial save from a hard-charging Zheng Lu, who evaded the Bangladesh defence to unleash a stinging shot from inside the box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With all their players falling back, Bangladesh were unable to put together a decent attack, with China keeper Liu Chen called into action only once, and that in time added on, to deny Mosamamt Sagorika\u2019s tame effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China finally delivered the goods two minutes into the second half when Yu Xingyue, off a cutback from a persistent Zeng Yujia, got in front of her marker to sweep the ball past Akter and into the top right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The East Asian side continued piling on the pressure but Wang\u2019s 35-yard strike in the 63rd minute, while on target, lacked the power to trouble Akter, who seven minutes later scrambled to save Huang Jiaxin\u2019s close-range header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China sealed the match – and in style at that in the 82nd minute – when Wang\u2019s rising free-kick from 25 yards out penetrated the Bangladesh wall and flew past Akter despite the custodian managing to get a hand to the well-struck shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Thailand wasted no time in applying pressure, with Kurisara Limpawanich darting forward to latch onto Parichat Thongrong\u2019s pass from the centre line before unleashing a shot from outside the box that was punched away by Vietnam goalkeeper Le Thi Thu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The resulting corner sparked a barrage of attempts from the hosts inside the 25-yard area, keeping both the goalkeeper and the Vietnam defence under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the immediate danger was cleared, Thailand continued to threaten, with Prichakorn Kruenchuenchom\u2019s effort from distance in the 10th minute pushed away by Thi Thu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The breakthrough came a minute later when Pichayatida Manowang\u2019s corner found Limpawanich at the goalmouth, with the forward capitalising on the ball deflecting off Le Thi Trang to direct her effort into the top right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rinayaphat Moondong then doubled the lead as Madison Casteen beat Nguyen Thi Thuy down the flank and delivered a cross into the box, where the Thai captain rose to head home into the bottom left corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With play largely confined to Vietnam\u2019s half, Thailand goalkeeper Atima Boonprakanpai was left untroubled until the 30th minute, when the Okiyama Masahiko-led side began to show signs of response, with Dao Khanh Vy coming closest, but her effort from the right was blocked by Natcha Kaewanta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thailand extended their advantage five minutes before the break when Limpawanich raced onto Moondong\u2019s header from the centre line, beat Khanh Vy and finished clinically into the top right corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Returning from the break, Vietnam had a stroke of luck when Boonprakanpai fumbled Nguyen Thi Thuy\u2019s long-range effort, allowing the ball to slip into the back of the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Nuengrutai Srathongvian\u2019s side responded almost immediately, with Parichat Thongrong unleashing a powerful strike from the edge of the box that was parried away by the Vietnamese custodian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With just over 70 minutes played, Vietnam\u2019s Ngan Thi Thanh Hieu produced a spirited run past several Thai defenders but was unable to keep control inside the box, with the ball rolling out of play beyond the byline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the final whistle approached, both sides pushed to add to their tally with Thailand having the last word when Moondong converted a set piece from outside the box in the dying minutes of the game to seal a 4-1 victory for her side.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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