Hot Vietnamese football news today March 8: Van Toan surprises coach Vu Tien Thanh; Vietnam women's team has a clear path to advance

Hot Vietnamese football news today March 8: Van Toan surprises coach Vu Tien Thanh; Vietnam women's team has a clear path to advance.

Van Toan astonishes coach Vu Tien Thanh

Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Toan made an impressive debut wearing the SHB Da Nang jersey, playing a major role in helping the team secure 1 point against Ninh Binh FC.

After the match, coach Vu Tien Thanh of Ninh Binh admitted that his team created many opportunities but could not convert them into goals.

"I think we played decently today. After a streak of three previous losses, the whole team set very high goals. We played well in the first half but seemed to falter somewhat in the second half. Ninh Binh had 4-5 clear-cut chances in front of goal but failed to convert them into goals; that was unfortunate.

This draw owes a great deal to Van Toan from SHB Da Nang. He made some miraculous saves that truly surprised us," Thanh said.

Meanwhile, coach Le Duc Tuan of SHB Da Nang stated that choosing Van Toan as the starter was based on his ability to handle aerial balls and his composed demeanor.

"I chose Toan because his aerial ability and composure bring reassurance to the defense. I sensed Van Toan's hunger, similar to what Bui Tien Dung had before," Tuan shared.

Vietnam women's team has a wide-open path to the Asian Cup quarterfinals

Despite losing to Chinese Taipei in the second match of Group C in the 2026 Asian Cup, the Vietnam women's team's chances of advancing remain quite bright.

The Vietnam women's team almost cannot reach the top 2 of Group C, but can still compete for one of the two spots reserved for the best-performing third-place teams to enter the quarterfinals.

In Group A, Philippines (0 points, goal difference -4) will face Iran (0 points, -7) in the final round to compete for third place.

Meanwhile in Group B, Uzbekistan (0 points, -6) confronts Bangladesh (0 points, -7).

If just one of these two matches ends in a draw, the Vietnam women's team will secure a ticket to the quarterfinals without needing to worry about the result against Japan.

In case these matches have a win/loss outcome with a minimal margin, coach Mai Duc Chung's team still has a high chance of advancing if they do not lose to Japan by a too heavy score.

The advantage of the Vietnam women's team is playing after the matches of Groups A and B, so they can know the situation beforehand before stepping into the match against Japan.

Coach Van Sy Son talks about "human connection" at SLNA

The 1-0 victory over Hai Phong FC helps Song Lam Nghe An FC (SLNA) continue improving its position on the rankings.

Coach Van Sy Son believes the cohesion within the collective is a key factor helping the team achieve positive results recently.

"I don't want to create distance between the coach and the players. I want them to feel we are like brothers, like teacher and students, like uncle and nephews in a family.

The most important thing is human connection. I always view the players as my own children. We can sit together sharing everything, not only on the training pitch but also during meals or in the activity room.

My philosophy is very simple: when one person makes a mistake, teammates must be ready to correct it for each other," Son shared.

On the temporary rankings, SLNA is placed 8th with 19 points, one point behind Hong Linh Ha Tinh FC.