Japan's Sao declares steel-like determination, Vietnam's team risks losing World Cup qualification ticket

Prior to the game, Japanese athlete Hana Takahashi affirmed they will compete earnestly to overcome the Vietnamese women's squad.

Speaking ahead of the final match in Group C, the 2026 Women's Asian Cup Finals, Japanese women's team player Hana Takahashi emphasized her team will play seriously against the Vietnamese women's team:

"Everyone in the team is ready to contribute when given the opportunity. We have performed well in the last two matches and demonstrated excellent teamwork. In the final group stage match, we want to continue being united, secure a victory, and gain momentum to advance to the next round,"Hana Takahashi said.

The Japanese women's team has already secured their spot in the next round after two decisive victories over Chinese Taipei and India. Nevertheless, Takahashi declared they will not relax but will play their utmost against the final opponent.

"For the team to win, the defenders need to constantly communicate with each other and maintain high concentration. That will be very important, and we want to continue doing that consistently well."

"In the first match, we faced quite many difficulties before scoring. Playing in Asia always presents many challenges, and we need to continue preparing for those. The most important thing is to focus completely on each match and win the immediate game. That is our top priority,"Takahashi affirmed.

Regarding the Vietnamese women's team, the match against Japan will determine their fate in the journey to secure a ticket to the next round, and further, a World Cup qualification ticket. In a context where a win or draw is highly unlikely, the squad under coach Mai Duc Chung aims to lose minimally against the strong opponent to squeeze through the narrow gap.

The match between the Vietnamese women's team and the Japanese women's team will take place at 16:00 on March 10.