HANOI (5 March 2016) – Vietnam may be out of contention for a place at the 2016 Olympic Games, but their performances during the ongoing qualifiers in Osaka have shown Mai Duc Chung’s side are an improving nation, according to long-serving goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh.
Apart from a heavy defeat to Australia at the AFC Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 qualifiers, Vietnam’s narrow losses to China and DPR Korea in Osaka have made many sit up and take notice of one of Asia’s most improved nations.
“Women’s football in Vietnam is now developing at a very fast pace, and within five years we are aiming to be able to regularly beat the likes of Korea, China and Australia, and we want to reach the top of Asia” said Dang Thi Kieu Trinh (third from right, back row).
“After the war many things were difficult for us, especially in football, but now we have a domestic championship for women, we have a talented new generation of players coming through and players can go overseas to play and train and that all helps.”
The 30-year-old goalkeeper, who has been a mainstay of the national team for more than a decade, produced an outstanding performance in Friday’s narrow 1-0 defeat by DPR Korea as the world’s sixth-highest ranked nation needed a 90th minute strike from substitute Ju Hyo-sim to seal their first win of the campaign.
“For many years Dang has been a key part of our side and she was very good against DPR Korea, showing her true qualities, and while we have some good young goalkeepers also coming through in Vietnam, she has showed all her experience at this tournament so far,” said Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung.
Plying her club trade at hometown outfit Ho Chi Minh City FC, Dang Thi Kieu Trinh lists Hope Solo of the USA, Japan’s Ayumi Kaihori and Spain’s Iker Casillas as goalkeepers she looks up.
And while she intends to keep on playing until the age of 35 before switching to coaching, first, Vietnam will face hosts Japan on Monday before the qualifiers round off their campaign against Korea Republic on Wednesday.
“Of course things will be difficult against Japan, but we’ve shown in the match against DPR Korea that we are capable of matching these teams,” added Dang Thi Kieu Trinh.
“We have the AFF championship coming up in July and we’re aiming to win that, so these next matches against strong opponents are crucial and we’re going to show all our spirit and fighting qualities against Japan and Korea Republic.”
