VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam's biggest challenge at the upcoming Olympic Asia Zone second round of qualifiers would be Thailand, said the national team coaching board.

The Vietnamese women's team, who won all three matches in the first round which finished on Sunday, arrived home yesterday. In the next round, they will face Iran, Jordan and Uzbekistan as well as Thailand from June 3-12, but the venue has yet to be confirmed.

Despite losing 2-1 to Viet Nam in the first round of qualifiers, Thailand are still the team to beat, given the cup final atmosphere when the two teams meet.

They stopped Viet Nam's reign at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.

Viet Nam's coach Chen Yun Fat said he and his team were confident about their chances of progressing.

"The second qualifying round will be much tougher because our rivals are stronger than in the first round, but we have a chance to win because we know them," said Chen, who was happy with the way his players performed in the first round in Chinese Taipei.

"The next time the team meet in May, we will focus on fitness as well as skills in preparation for the tournament," he added.

Viet Nam Football Federation official Truong Hai Tung also praised the women's team.

"We are unbeaten so far and given that we are missing some key players, it is a great success. I hope the team will maintain their spirit and qualify as one of the six strongest Asian teams."

Only one team will qualify for the third round, where they will face Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Australia and China, who all received wild cards.

The six teams will compete for two tickets to the London Olympics next year.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News