Huỳnh Như and HCMC Women's Club Face a Major Challenge in the AFC Women's Champions League Group Stage

Huỳnh Như and HCMC Women's Club face a major challenge in the 2026-2027 AFC Women's Champions League group stage after being drawn into Group B alongside South Korean champions Hwacheon KSPO WFC, North Korean powerhouse 4.25 SC and Indian side East Bengal. The club has a strong record of reaching the semi‑finals in its first appearance and the quarter‑finals in its second, yet it has failed to score in both knockout exits (0‑2, 0‑3). This pattern suggests HCMC can navigate group matches against mid‑tier opponents but struggles against elite Asian sides. Preliminary‑round data show 4.25 SC scoring 29 goals and conceding only once in three matches, although the opposition in that phase was weak, so the numbers may be inflated. East Bengal recorded 18 goals and conceded none in its three preliminaries, but last year it collected just three points and was eliminated from the group stage, highlighting the gap between preliminary and group‑level competition. With the tournament format allowing the top two teams plus the two best third‑placed teams to advance, HCMC still has a chance to progress even if it finishes third, provided its goal difference is sufficient. The match against East Bengal on 12 November 2026 is seen as the pivotal fixture, offering the most winnable points but still requiring a serious approach to avoid unnecessary losses. Huỳnh Như, the symbol of Vietnamese women's football, is expected to lead the attack with her creativity and international experience, although current form details are unavailable. Head coach Đoàn Thị Kim Chi, undertaking her third consecutive continental campaign, will need to tweak tactics to exploit counter‑attacks and set‑piece situations while maintaining defensive organisation against the high‑pressing styles of 4.25 SC and Hwacheon KSPO. Logistical costs for the trip to India are a non‑trivial factor, although the AFC typically covers most expenses. The biggest risk remains the inability to score against elite opposition; if HCMC can defeat East Bengal and manage its goal difference, it has a realistic chance to cause an upset and continue writing history for Vietnamese women's football.