As the match began, Viet Nam needed at least a point against Japan to keep their hopes of progressing alive without having to wait for the result of the other fixture.
However, the gap in capability between the two sides was considerable.
Viet Nam’s head coach Mai Duc Chung made several adjustments to the starting line-up compared with the previous match against Chinese Taipei.
Five new players were given starting opportunities, including goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang, defenders Hai Linh and Thu Thuong, midfielder Vu Thi Hoa, and forward Thuy Hang.
Several experienced players, including Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Thanh Nha, Huynh Nhu and Hai Yen, were named on the bench.
Immediately after kick-off, Japan quickly pushed forward in attack, forcing Viet Nam to focus on defence.
Under continuous pressure, Viet Nam’s back line and goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang worked hard to hold firm for most of the first half.
However, in the 21st minute, Japan finally broke the deadlock. From an attack down the right flank, the ball was delivered into the penalty area for Ueki, who rose to head home from close range, opening the scoring for Japan.
In the second half, the difference in class became even more evident as the Japanese players increased the pressure with quick combinations and effective bursts of pace.
In the 50th minute, Tanaka fired a shot from inside the penalty area to double the lead.
Just minutes later, Aoba added another goal for Japan with a superb curling effort from outside the box in the 57th minute.
In the 67th minute, Seike ran onto a through ball and finished diagonally across goal to seal a 4-0 victory for Japan’s women’s team.
In the remaining minutes, Chung introduced several experienced players in an attempt to strengthen the attack.
However, against a superior opponent, Viet Nam were unable to make a difference.
