HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam have vowed to fight harder against Japan in the second match of the Asian Games' women's football competition on September 17, maintaining hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage. 

After the unexpected 1-2 loss to Chinese Taipei in Group E on September 14, coach Hoàng Văn Phúc asked his players to clear their minds and focus on their next task.

Phúc said that despite the defeat, Việt Nam showed positive progress in the second half with a goal by striker Nguyễn Thanh Nhã near the end of the game. 

He said his players need to show more confidence and be more proactive in the next matches to get better results.

“We have many young players in the team who have not yet played in a major international tournament," he said. 

"Helping them gain more confidence and play comfortably is really important. They will get better, and our games will improve."

Phúc, who has taken charge of the team for four months, praised his young players such as Ngọc Minh Chuyên, Vũ Thị Hoa and Nguyễn Phương, saying they were growing quickly and would be Việt Nam's strong weapons in the front line. 

Speaking to reporters at a training session, midfielder Ngân Thị Vạn Sự said the team watched their previous match and analysed mistakes and problems, adding that the team are working to smooth out any errors ahead of the next match.

"We tried our best in that match, but we couldn't change the score although we had many threatening opportunities in the last minutes," said Sự. 

“We didn't start the game well, but we have learned a lot from it and will play better next match.”

Japan are one of the strongest teams in Asia. They are the defending champions and the top candidate for the podium in this tournament.

Young striker Sự said Việt Nam were not intimidated and mentally prepared for the showdown. 

"We have faced Japan several times in the past and know their strengths. Experience from previous matches will help us in the upcoming clash," she said.

“Our supporters came and encouraged us in the first match. It was a strong push for me and teammates. Tomorrow, we will play a good game and not let them down."

Phúc agreed with his player, adding: "Japan are a bigger challenge than Chinese Taipei. We have to analyse them carefully and find a suitable tactic.

"We might play defensively, but will look to switch to counter-attack and attack when we have opportunities. We will also work on the players' mindset, specifically preparing them to get ready and perform well." 

A good result against Japan will foster Việt Nam's knock-out hopes before they play Thailand in the last game on September 21. — VNS