AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026: What happened when India played against Vietnam last time?

India gears up for historic AFC Women’s Asian Cup clash against Vietnam.

India is set to kick off their campaign at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 against Vietnam in what promises to be a high-stakes opener. With the tournament doubling as a pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, every single match carries do-or-die importance for the Blue Tigresses.

The fixture against Vietnam holds added weight. The last time these two sides met, India was pushed to their limits by a physically dominant and tactically sharp Vietnamese unit.

Now, under the guidance of Amelia Valverde, India return with renewed belief and a fresh tactical approach. However, Vietnam remain one of the continent’s most disciplined and experienced sides.

To begin their AFC Asian Cup journey on a positive note, Amelia Valverde’s team must overcome not just their opponents, but the psychological and tactical lessons from their previous encounter.

What happened when the two teams played earlier?

India and Vietnam have before in the AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group C clash at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent. On that night, Vietnam ended India’s Olympic hopes with a 3-1 victory.

Under Thomas Dennerby, India made several tactical tweaks after their loss to Japan, but Vietnam struck early and decisively. Captain Huỳnh Như opened the scoring in just the fourth minute, capitalizing on defensive confusion to head home.

Vietnam doubled the lead in the 22nd minute when Trần Thị Hải Linh nodded in another cross from the right. India struggled to deal with aerial deliveries, and that vulnerability proved costly again in the second half as substitute Phạm Hải Yến made it 3-0, once more with a header.

All four goals in the match came from headers. India managed a late consolation when Sandhiya Ranganathan headed in from a set-piece situation, but the damage had already been done.

It was a game that exposed India’s defensive frailties against crosses and set pieces, a lesson they will have to remember when they face Vietnam again in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

When & where to watch the match live?

The clash between Vietnam and India at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 will be streamed live on FanCode in India, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 PM IST.

Fans can either purchase a single match pass or opt for the complete tournament pass to enjoy full coverage of the competition.

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