Vietnamese women fall to Australia in ASEAN Cup semi-finals
With the win, Australia booked their place in the final against Myanmar, while Vietnam will face Thailand in the third-place playoff at 4:30 p.m. on August 19.
Vietnam's Ngan Thi Van Su (21) and Australia's Chessari (16) vie for the ball in the semi-finals of the 2025 ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup on August 16. (Photo: VNA)
Hai Phong (VNS/VNA) – The Vietnamese women’s team fell 1-2 to the Australian U23 side in the semi-finals of the 2025 ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup at Lach Tray Stadium in Hai Phong on August 16.
Backed by strong home support, Vietnam entered the match with confidence, but the Australians applied aggressive pressing from the outset, forcing the hosts onto the defensive.
The visitors struck early with two quick goals. In the 6th minute, Aideen Keane headed home, before Leticia McKenna doubled the lead with a spectacular long-range strike in the 16th minute.
Holding a two-goal cushion, Australia tightened their defence, using strength and composure to blunt Vietnam’s attacks. The home side worked hard but struggled to break through the solid back line.
Vietnam pushed forward late in the game, and in the 88th minute, Bich Thuy pulled one back with a sharp finish from a tight angle. Despite late pressure, the equaliser proved elusive.
🧸 With the win, Australia booked their place in the final against Myanmar, while Vietnam will face Thailand in the third-place playoff at 4:30 p.m. on August 19./.
With the victory, Vietnam finished the group stage with a perfect score of nine points, overtaking Thailand to claim the top spot in Group A and set up a semifinal clash as group leaders.
Vietnam claimed a dominant 7-0 victory over Indonesia in their second Group A match at the 2025 AFF Women’s Championship at Lach Tray stadium in Hai Phong on August 9, moving one step closer to a spot in the semifinals.
After training at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Centre in Hanoi, the team have moved to Quang Ninh province for intensive training, focusing on two key areas: sand training to build endurance and resilience and enhancing tactical skills.
On the evening of September 15 (local time), Algerian audiences enjoyed the Vietnamese film “Dao, Pho va Piano” (Peach Blossom, Pho and Piano). Vietnam was invited as the guest of honour at this year’s festival. In addition to the feature film, the country also introduced the documentary “Dien Bien: Land and People” and another featuring the 1954 Dien Bien Phu Victory for competition at the event.
Divided into three chapters with dozens of meticulously staged performances, the programme created a vibrant and emotionally rich atmosphere. The blend of tradition and modernity, powerful voices, and the solemn resonance of the symphony orchestra gave the show its distinctive hallmark.
The photo collection, which features typical landmarks and landscapes as well as the culture and lifestyle of Da Nang people, aims to introduce the image of Vietnam's central city to Korean friends.
Held on September 13-14, ManiFiesta – the annual festival of solidarity organised by the Workers' Party of Belgium – drew tens of thousands of participants from across Belgium and neighbouring countries. Alongside music, debates and cultural exchanges, Vietnam made a strong impression with a booth rich in national identity.
Vietnam’s top female badminton player Nguyen Thuy Linh, ranked 18th in the world, was unable to defend her title after losing 0-2 to Cai Yan Yan of China (world No. 107) in the women’s singles final of Yonex-Sunrise Vietnam Open 2025.
At Nhan Dan’s pavilion, visitors encountered a vivid chronicle of Vietnam’s milestones under the Communist Party of Vietnam and the late President Ho Chi Minh’s leadership, from the struggle for independence and reunification to modern development and global integration. Special publications marking Vietnam’s 80th National Day, coupled with performances by Vietnamese artists, intricate handicrafts, and fragrant dishes, had foreign visitors lining up in droves.
Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc will be among 23 artists from 23 countries participating in Intervision 2025, an international music competition often described as the “Eurovision of Eurasia", in Russia.
The event aims to promote solidarity among ethnic minorities, particularly the Cham people, in southern and south-central Vietnam, following the recent merger of provincial-level administrative units.
The animated feature Buffalo Kids, hitting Vietnamese theatres on September 12, is developed from the record-breaking short Strings (2024), which holds the Guinness World Record for the most awarded short film in history.
The national achievement exhibition, themed “80 Years of Independence – Freedom – Happiness,” is the largest of its kind held in Vietnam so far, bringing together 28 ministries and central agencies, 34 localities, 16 state-owned economic corporations, and 94 leading private enterprises.
Victory Vietnam by Swedish film director Bo Öhlén is a deeply moving and authentic documentary, officially premiered in April 2025 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification of Vietnam (April 30, 1975 – 2025).
The LION Championship 26 (LC26) will take place at Tay Ho Gymnasium in Hanoi on September 13, with the spotlight on the debut of World WBC Muay Thai Champion Truong Cao Minh Phat, who will square off against Irish fighter Aaron Clarke in the 61kg MMA Striking category.
The archives consist of administrative records, maps, and technical drawings from 1911–1955 left by French coal companies, along with images capturing coal mining, colonial architecture, miners’ lives, and the local community. These materials not only carry historical value but also offer vivid insights into Quang Ninh’s socio-economic landscape before 1955.
Vietnam’s rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes are taking centre stage at the third photo exhibition “Vietnam Through the Lens of International Photographers”, which opened in Hue city on September 10.
The Ho Chi Minh City Union of Friendship Organisations (HUFO) hosted a screening of the film Mua do (Red Rain) on September 9 for members of the consular corps and Lao and Cambodian students studying in the city, a part of activities marking the 80th anniversary of National Day (September 2, 1945 – 2025),
With this victory, Vietnam finished at the top of Group C with nine points, officially securing a place in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Finals, scheduled for January 2026.
On the opening day, Vietnam’s Vu Thi Trang played the first match for the host country, defeating Indonesia’s Aashi Rawat 2-1, marking an encouraging start for the home team.
The Cultural Day is expected to help further strengthen the Vietnam – RoK friendship while reaffirming Hue’s determination to expand international exchanges and assert its role as a cultural and tourism hub of the country.
