The national women’s football team and head coach Mai Duc Chung arrive at Noi Bai Airport on February 10
The team returned to Vietnam on Thursday morning after making history by earning a berth at the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time and finishing fifth at the recently-concluded 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
Deputy minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Dao Cuong welcomes the team at the airport
The team, coached by Mai Duc Chung sealed two play-off victories against Thailand and Chinese Taipei in India.
Chung said they had concluded a 60-day long memorable journey. Many players had been infected with Covid-19 several days before the start of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup in India and the team did not think they could snatch the last World Cup spot at the regional tournament to play at the World Cup finals next year.
Fortunately, all infected players recovered in time for the Asian Cup and performed well against Thailand and Chinese Taipei in the two play-off matches, therefore finishing fifth at the tournament and booking the last spot at the World Cup finals to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc decided to present Labour Orders to the team, Chung and his players.
All 29 members of the team will be also awarded certificates of merit bestowed by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
The Vietnam Football Federation will also organise a ceremony to honour the women’s national football team in Hanoi on February 11.