Ho Chi Minh City women’s football club suffered a 0–3 defeat to Melbourne City in their final Group A match at the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26, but still secured a spot in the quarterfinals as runners-up.

The Vietnamese side faced a stormy challenge as they clashed with the Australian powerhouse. Melbourne City showcased their superiority from the opening seconds. A cross from the left caused chaos in the box, and McNamara pounced with a lightning-fast finish that left goalkeeper Kim Thanh no chance.

Before HCMC could settle into the match, they were hit again in the 4th minute. A costly error by Maria Khan opened the door for Apostolakis to fire a stunning long-range shot into the net, making it 2–0.

In the 39th minute, the Australians extended their lead with a well-orchestrated attack. A smooth cutback from Davidson found McMahon, who calmly slotted home the third goal.

The second half saw Ho Chi Minh City push forward in an attempt to claw back into the match. Despite their efforts, the gulf in quality proved too large, and Huynh Nhu and her teammates struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Melbourne City, meanwhile, continued to threaten. McNamara nearly added to her tally but failed to convert a dangerous opportunity.

In the end, Ho Chi Minh City lost 0–3 but maintained second place in Group A with two earlier victories. That was enough for the Vietnamese side to book a historic ticket to the quarterfinals of Asia’s top club competition.

Thien Binh