The Vietnamese women's football team lost 0-2 to Japan in a Group C match of the 2024 Paris Olympics second qualifying round on Wednesday evening. This was the farewell game of head coach Mai Duc Chung who will retire at the end of the year.

Coach Mai Duc Chung has a great career with the Vietnamese women's football team

It was not surprising at the team’s lost against Japan. Japan is the top women's football team in Asia and ranks 8^th on the FIFA rankings. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese women's team is on the 34^th place.

The Vietnamese players put in a tremendous effort during the first half. Many times, they even managed to penetrate the opponent's penalty area. However, in the 39^th minute, an impressive combination from the Japanese team resulted in the opening goal for them.

In the second half, Japan increased their pace and applied pressure, while the Vietnamese team’s defence was not up to par, allowing Moriya to score the second goal, making it 2-0 in the 54^th minute.

One touching detail was that after the match, the Vietnamese girls came to hug coach Mai Duc Chung. The game ended the 72-year-old strategist's unforgettable journey with Viet Nam’s female football.

No one denies the fact that coach Mai Duc Chung is a legend of Vietnamese women’s football. He has devoted his whole life to Viet Nam’s football sector.

He never refused any invitation from the Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF) to lead Vietnamese teams when they were in the most difficult situations, including both women's and men's football teams.

However, Mr. Chung's greatest success is to work as the head coach of the national women's team.

Chung started to work as a coach for the national women's football team in 1997. Since then, he has gradually helped the national women's team become the top in Southeast Asia.

Under Chung, the national women's football team won six gold medals in eight SEA Games, of which there were four consecutive championship victories from 2017 - 2023. The team also won the 2019 AFF Cup.

In addition, he also brought the Vietnamese women's team to fourth place at the 2014 ASIAD and excelled for the first time in the 2023 Women's World Cup finals. The unprecedented legacy he left behind will forever endure.

Reporting by PHI NONG - Translating by M.DUNG