Vietnamese players arrive in their hotel in Napier city. (Photo: VFF) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam Football Federation announced that the Vietnamese national women’s football team and head coach Mai Duc Chung arrived in New Zealand on July 6 to start their 2023 FIFA World Cup campaign.
They took three flights from Hanoi to Singapore’s Changi Airport, then Auckland and Napier for nearly 24 hours. Now, they are in Napier city where they will play a friendly match with the New Zealand team, starting their final preparation phase towards the 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
Upon arrival at the Auckland airport, the team received a warm welcome from the World Football Federation (FIFA) and local organisers. After taking immigration procedures, the team transferred to a domestic flight to Napier.
The Vietnamese players will have six-day training sessions and friendly matches in Napier.
The weather in Napier at this time is still a bit cold with a temperature of about 14 degrees Celsius. New Zealand is in winter now.
Head coach Chung is not too worried because Vietnam will have two weeks to get used to the winter in New Zealand. He said the coaching staff will make sure that the players are in the best shape before the tournament, online newspaper vnexpress.net reported on July 6 morning.
"Before the SEA Games, we trained in the cold weather in Japan then went to Cambodia, a very hot place, but the players quickly adapted. The weather change from hot to cold is a challenge but not for us only, as other teams will also have to face it," Chung said.
The “golden girls" of Vietnam football have been crowned SEA Games champions eight times, and won a ticket to the 2024 Olympic First Qualifier. (Photo: VFF) Vietnam will play two friendlies with the hosts New Zealand on July 10 and Spain on July 14 before the World Cup. In the group stage, Vietnam will play the US on July 22, Portugal on the 27, and the Netherlands on August.
Over the past time, the “golden girls" of Vietnam football have been crowned SEA Games champions eight times, and won a ticket to the 2024 Olympic First Qualifier./.
