U20 Asian Cup Opener: China Women Beat Vietnam 3–0, Young Star Nets Brace as World Cup Ambitions Rise

On the evening of April 1 (Beijing time), the opening match of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup saw China U20 Women's Team secure a commanding 3–0 victory over Vietnam U20 Women's Team, marking a confident start to their campaign.

Hosted in Thailand, the tournament carries clear objectives for China — at minimum, a top-four finish to qualify for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Preparation began as early as January, with head coach Colin Bell focusing on physical conditioning, tactical structure, and squad cohesion.

China entered the tournament in strong form, having dominated the qualifiers with three consecutive wins — 6–0 against Syria, 7–0 over Cambodia, and 8–0 against Lebanon — scoring 21 goals without conceding.

The squad features a blend of promising young talents: goalkeeper Liu Chen anchors the defense alongside Huang Jiaxin and Li Ke, while the midfield includes Wang Aifang, Zhou Xinyi, Xie Zongmei, and Xiao Yafei. Notably, Wang recently featured in senior international competition. Up front, Lu Jiayu and Zheng Lu provide attacking firepower.

Against a Vietnam side coached by Japanese manager Masahiko Okiyama, China controlled possession early, exceeding 70%. However, breaking down Vietnam’s defense proved challenging initially.

The breakthrough came in the 39th minute, when Xie Zongmei’s cross led to a defensive lapse, allowing Zheng Lu to open the scoring. Just five minutes later, Yu Xingyue delivered another precise cross, and Zheng doubled the lead with a well-timed finish.

China dominated the first half statistically, with 78% possession, seven shots (two on target), and an 84% pass accuracy, while Vietnam managed just one shot without testing the goalkeeper.

In the second half, China maintained control. In the 77th minute, a goalkeeping error from Vietnam allowed Zeng Yujia to seal the match with a powerful strike, confirming a 3–0 win.

The performance highlighted China’s tactical discipline and composure, setting a strong tone for the rest of their tournament journey.