The Vietnamese women’s national football team delivered a commanding performance on December 14, 2025, routing Indonesia 5-0 in the semi-final of the SEA Games 33 women’s football tournament. The match, played at 16:00 and broadcast live on VTV5, VTV7, and FPT Play, saw Vietnam’s top stars shine brightly as they secured their spot in the tournament’s final, sending a clear message to their regional rivals.
Vietnam entered the semi-final brimming with confidence, having topped Group B after a dramatic group stage campaign. Their journey, however, was anything but smooth. After suffering a surprising 0-1 setback against the Philippines in their opening match, the pressure was on coach Mai Đức Chung’s squad to bounce back. And bounce back they did! In their crucial group finale against Myanmar—a match dubbed a “premature final” by local media—Vietnam needed nothing less than a victory to keep their gold medal dreams alive.
The “Golden Star Women Warriors” wasted no time asserting themselves against Myanmar. Within the first 14 minutes, Vạn Sự broke the deadlock with a lightning-fast run, before Bích Thùy doubled the advantage. Vietnam’s early two-goal cushion allowed them to dictate the pace, maintain control, and ultimately see out a 2-0 win. With the Philippines thrashing Malaysia 6-0 in the other group match, all three teams—Vietnam, Philippines, and Myanmar—finished with six points. Goal difference became the decider, and Vietnam’s superior +8 margin clinched them the top spot, setting up a favorable semi-final draw against Indonesia, the runner-up from Group A.
Indonesia, for their part, had a rollercoaster group stage. They suffered a heavy 0-8 defeat to Thailand but rebounded by beating Singapore 3-1, just enough to secure their place in the knockouts. Coach Mai Đức Chung acknowledged Indonesia’s progress, noting their roster featured several naturalized players who brought valuable experience to the squad. Still, he remained unshakably confident in his team’s ability to reach the final. “We respect Indonesia’s improvements, but our team is determined to win,” Chung declared ahead of the match.
History strongly favored Vietnam. In their most recent encounter at the Southeast Asia Women’s Football Championship in August 2025, Vietnam had dismantled Indonesia 7-0. That emphatic result set the tone for the semi-final, with pundits and fans alike expecting another dominant display.
Vietnam’s starting lineup featured familiar faces: Kim Thanh guarded the net, with defenders Trần Thị Thu, Hoàng Thị Loan, Vạn Sự, and Mỹ Anh forming a solid backline. The midfield was anchored by Diễm My and Thu Thảo, while the attacking trio included Bích Thùy, Cù Thị Huỳnh Như, Nguyễn Thị Hoa, and the prolific striker Hải Yến.
From the opening whistle, Vietnam took control. The first real chance came in the 5th minute when Bích Thùy’s direct free kick whistled just wide of the post. Indonesia’s defense held firm early on, but the breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute. A handball by the Indonesian captain inside the penalty area gifted Vietnam a spot-kick, and Bích Thùy made no mistake from 11 meters, sending the keeper the wrong way and putting her side ahead 1-0.
Despite Vietnam’s dominance, Indonesia showed flashes of resilience, with goalkeeper De Rouw pulling off several impressive saves, including a point-blank stop from Mỹ Anh in the 12th minute. The first half ended 1-0, but Vietnam’s relentless pressure suggested more goals were coming.
The second half saw Vietnam shift into another gear. Just four minutes after the restart, a misjudged clearance from De Rouw ricocheted off Hải Yến and bounced into an empty net, doubling Vietnam’s lead. The goal seemed to sap Indonesia’s spirit, and Vietnam pressed their advantage. In the 49th minute, Hải Yến struck again, latching onto a cross from the left and finishing clinically from close range to make it 3-0.
Bích Thùy continued her sensational form, heading home her second goal in the 80th minute after a pinpoint delivery from Trần Duyên. With the score at 4-0, the Vietnamese bench erupted, sensing the final was now firmly within reach. But they weren’t done yet! In the 86th minute, Huỳnh Như—who had been searching for her first goal of the tournament—timed her run perfectly to beat the offside trap and coolly slotted home the fifth and final goal. “Huỳnh Như broke the offside trap and finished smartly for Vietnam’s fifth goal,” reported VTV.vn, highlighting the striker’s crucial contribution.
The final whistle confirmed Vietnam’s emphatic 5-0 victory, a result that echoed their 7-0 demolition of Indonesia just months earlier. Both Hải Yến and Bích Thùy finished with a brace, while Huỳnh Như’s late strike capped off a near-perfect team display. “This win is a testament to our preparation, teamwork, and the fighting spirit of Vietnamese women’s football,” said coach Mai Đức Chung after the match, his pride evident.
Vietnam’s triumph was celebrated by officials and fans alike. VFF Chairman Trần Quốc Tuấn extended his congratulations to both the women’s team and the U22 men’s squad, urging them to keep striving for gold in the days ahead. The victory also drew attention to the broader achievements of Vietnamese athletes at SEA Games 33, with the athletics team setting a new record in the 4x400m mixed relay and Vũ Thị Ngọc Hà capturing bronze in the women’s triple jump despite injury.
While the Indonesian team showed glimpses of promise, particularly with their new-look, naturalized roster, they simply couldn’t match Vietnam’s pace, organization, and clinical finishing. The match’s live broadcast on multiple platforms ensured fans across Vietnam could savor every moment of the team’s journey to the final.
With this resounding win, the Vietnamese women’s football team now looks ahead to the championship match, carrying with them not only a wave of national pride but also the momentum of a squad firing on all cylinders. Their sights are firmly set on bringing home another SEA Games gold, and if this semi-final is any indication, they’re more than ready for the challenge.
