GOALKEEPER Olivia McDaniel fended off two attempts, but Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC still turned back Stallion Laguna FC 1-0 in their Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League 2025-26 Group A opener on Thursday.
Huynh Nhu struck with the lone goal in the 58th minute for the Vietnamese side the lead in their bracket.
Stallions’ FC coach Ernie Nierras commended the squad for their defensive ways and limiting the Vietnamese side to just one goal.
“We felt that stopping those attempts from inside the box made up for our good performance. Both teams played well,” said Nierras in post-game huddle.
The Stallions will try to bounced when they meet Australia’s Melbourne City FC on Sunday.
Huynh’s winning free-kick came after after a tough first half, when Ho Chi Minh City with Nguyen Thi Tuyet Ngan challenged McDaniel at the goalmouth with a looping drive from outside the box in the fourth minute.
With the first attempt deflected by McDaniel, Stallion found its rhythm four minutes later with Emily Roach firing a long-range effort.
But Roach’s effort was kept out by Ho Chi Minh City custodian Tran Thi Kim Thanh.
Ho Chi Minh City continued with Le Hoai Luong heading narrowly wide in the 32nd minute and Nhu seeing her shot from outside the box blocked a minute later.
The Vietnamese side’s second attempt came when Tran Thi Thuy Trang broke away in the 52nd minute, before she was intercepted by McDaniel.
