India's Head Coach: 'There were moments we played better than Vietnam, but...'

The head coach of the Indian women's team provided noteworthy assessments of the tactical situation after the defeat against the Vietnamese women's team in the 2026 Asian Cup Finals.

The Vietnamese women's team opened their 2026 Asian Cup Group C campaign with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over India. Ngan Thi Van Su scored in the 30th minute, before Sanfida Nongrum equalized in the second half. Just as the match seemed destined to end 1-1, Van Su shone again in the 90+4th minute, securing a dramatic win for the team in red.

While Vietnam erupted in joy over the precious three points, the other side of the pitch was filled with a sense of regret. India's head coach, Amelia Valverde, considered this a missed opportunity, yet she still had much praise for her players, particularly their performance in the second half after an unsatisfactory start under the opponent's pressure.

"I am very proud of the team," Coach Valverde shared. "The emotions right now are still a bit raw, but our first 30 minutes were not our best and they scored early. However, in the second half, we regained our balance and managed to bring the match back to level terms."

The tactician further emphasized: "At many moments, I felt we were even playing better than them. In the end, we lost the match, which is unfortunate, but I am very pleased with the team's improvement in the second half and how we gradually adapted as the game progressed." These evaluations show she views the defeat from a positive perspective.

Valverde was particularly impressed with her players' physical foundation. "I saw a team that ran non-stop for 90 minutes. I didn't see anyone showing signs of fatigue, while some opposing players occasionally faced physical issues." Nevertheless, she candidly admitted the decisive mistake that cost India dearly.

"The decisive losing goal came from our own error. There is much to learn from this match, especially the need to maintain focus during crucial moments. We will take these lessons and continue to improve in the remainder of the tournament."

On the opposite side, Coach Mai Duc Chung also acknowledged that luck favored Vietnam. "This was a match between two evenly matched teams. We were somewhat luckier to secure the win." He believed mental fortitude helped the team overcome difficulties after conceding the equalizer and stated that Vietnam controlled the ball better but failed to capitalize on all their chances.

In their second match, the Vietnamese women's team will face the Chinese Taipei women's team at 12:00 on March 7th in Group C. This is seen as a crucial showdown in the race for second place in the group. Following the morale boost from the stoppage-time victory, Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team aim to secure all three points to gain an advantage before the final matchday, thereby taking a significant step forward on their journey to qualify for the Women's World Cup.