The Indian women's national team enters the 2026 Asian Women's Cup finals with many personnel adjustments. The opening match against the Vietnamese women's national team in Group C is of great significance, in the context that teams are directly competing for a spot in the knockout round and aiming to win a ticket to the World Cup.
Regarding personnel, India suffered losses when key midfielder Anju Tamang could not participate due to injury. This player has made 69 appearances and scored 15 goals for the national team, playing an important role in the playing system.
Tamang's absence forced the coaching staff to adjust tactical plans, and at the same time give more opportunities to other faces in attack such as Pyari Xaxa - who has 18 goals after 39 matches, Grace Dangmei - 23 goals after 92 matches and Manisha Kalyan - 14 goals after 48 appearances for the national team.
Notably, Manisha Kalyan currently plays for Alianza Lima club in the Peruvian national championship. Meanwhile, newcomer Aveka Singh is playing football in Denmark.
The Indian squad tends to rejuvenate as nearly half of the force is under 23 years old. This is a shift in the long-term strategy of the Indian Football Federation to build a successor generation.
However, at a continental tournament with high competition density, the experience factor is considered a challenge for a team that lacks international clashes.
Since January of this year, the Indian national team has been led by coach Amelia Valverde. This coach has experience bringing Costa Rica to the World Cup, but the time working with the South Asian team is not long, posing a requirement to quickly stabilize the squad before the tournament.
In the opposite direction, the Vietnamese women's team approaches the 2026 Women's Asian Cup with a preparation roadmap extending from after SEA Games 33 (December 2025). The whole team gathers in Hanoi before going to China for training and friendly matches with the Chinese women's team.
These matches help coach Mai Duc Chung and the coaching staff assess player performance, adjust tactical systems and determine the optimal squad. Training time is maintained continuously, including during Tet, to ensure physical foundation and cohesion.
The Vietnamese national team has an average age of 28.6 - the highest in the tournament, partly showing the depth of experience. Many players have participated in previous Asian Cups and World Cups, creating a stable foundation for competition psychology.
Notably, midfielder Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy has fully recovered from her injury and is ready to play. The coaching staff has also carefully analyzed India's playing style through video footage and professional data to develop appropriate approaches.
The match against India is considered an important starting point for the goal of competing for a World Cup spot for the second time in the history of the Vietnamese women's team. Achieving a favorable result right in the first round will create a significant advantage in the group C situation.
The match between the Vietnamese women's team and India takes place at 6:00 PM today (March 4).
