HAI PHONG (6 August 2025) – ASEAN Women’s MSIG Serenity Cup™ hosts Vietnam and 2022 runners-up Thailand both made successful starts to their challenges for the 2025 title with comprehensive victories over Cambodia and Indonesia respectively on Wednesday.
The Vietnamese handed Cambodia a 6-0 defeat after seeing Thailand thrash Indonesia 7-0 in the tournament’s opening game at Lạch Tray Stadium to leave the pair locked together at the top of Group A with three points each after the first round of matches.
Four goals in 10 minutes in the first half sent the Vietnamese on their way to victory through goals by Dương Thị Vân, Ngân Thị Vạn Sự, Phạm Hải Yến and Nguyễn Thị Vạn. Nguyễn Thị Trúc Hương and Thái Thị Thảo scored after the break to complete the rout.
Dương Thị Vân headed in the opener for Vietnam in the seventh minute and four minutes later Vietnam doubled their lead when Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy’s corner was only cleared as far as Vạn Sự and she fired in a clinical right-foot shot from 20 yards.
The Cambodians were soon further behind when referee Muhammad Izzul Fikri Kamaruzaman awarded a penalty to the home side and Hải Yến converted while in the 17th minute Nguyễn Thị Vạn unleashed a dipping left-foot shot that left Penh Boravy groping at thin air.
Six minutes after the restart Vietnam went further ahead. Vạn Sự jinked down the left flank before delivering a cross to Trúc Hương and, after controlling the ball with her first touch, the midfielder smashed the shot home.
Huỳnh Như provided a pinpoint cross for Vietnam’s sixth on the hour mark when her cross from the left was headed in with aplomb by Thái Thị Thảo as the hosts delighted their fans with a comprehensive win.
Thailand, who lost out to the Philippines in the final of the previous edition of the competition, cruised to victory over Indonesia with forward Karnjanathat Phomsri scoring twice.
Madison Casteen, Pichayatida Manowwang, Janista Jinantuya, Pinyaphat Klinklai and Thawanrat Promthongmee were also on target as the Thais signalled their intention to reclaim the title.
The four-times champions made light work of Joko Susilo’s side, taking the lead in the sixth minute and never looking back after Karnjanathat nodded a looping header past Laita Roati.
Thirteen minutes later Futoshi Ikeda’s side doubled their advantage through Casteen, whose right-foot strike from 25 yards out beat the flailing Indonesia goalkeeper to her right.
Karnjanathat hit the third from the penalty spot while Thailand’s fourth arrived with five minutes left in the half as Karnjanathat drove an inviting low centre across the face of the Indonesia goal and Pichayatida was left with a tap-in.
Ikeda’s side struck again a minute later, Janista calmly volleying home Pluemjai Sontisawat’s perfectly delivered cross from the right. Pinyaphat headed in from six yards with 19 minutes left, while Thawanrat rolled home the seventh from close range moments later.
The winners of the MSIG Player of the Match award for today’s games are:
Thailand v Indonesia: Karnjanathat Phomsri (#16), Thailand
Vietnam v Cambodia: Nguyễn Thị Bích Thùy (#23), Vietnam
The teams in Group A will be back in action at Lạch Tray Stadium on Saturday with Thailand meeting Cambodia at 4.30pm, and Vietnam playing against Indonesia at 7.30pm.
Group B will get under way on Thursday at Việt Trì Stadium in Phú Thọ with Myanmar taking on Australia at 4:30pm, and defending champions Philippines facing Timor-Leste at 7.30pm.
The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals on 16 August at Lạch Tray Stadium, which will also host the third-place play-off and the final on 19 August.
For more information about the MSIG Serenity Cup™ and other ASEAN United FC events, please visit https://aseanutdfc.com/ and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
