Valuable rookie of Ho Chi Minh City women's team
Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club is actively strengthening its squad for the match against Abu Dhabi Country (UAE) in the 2024 - 2025 Asian Cup. After signing midfielder Aubrey Goodwill and striker Sabrina Marie Cabrera, coach Doan Thi Kim Chi's team has added Chelsea Le, a player of mixed Vietnamese and American descent.
Chelsea Le was born in 2001 and grew up at the Spokane Shadow Soccer Training Center (USA). She "tried out" for the Vietnam U.19 team in 2019, playing alongside current national players such as Tran Thi Duyen, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha and Nguyen Thi Hoa.
Chelsea Le in the U.19 Vietnam shirt in 2019
Chelsea Le's presence in the U.19 team was quite coincidental, when during a trip back to Vietnam with her family in 2019, Chelsea Le and her younger sister Kyah Le were introduced to try out training with the U.19 Vietnam team. Knowing that Chelsea Le and Kyah Le were training semi-professionally in the US, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and coach Akira Ijiri agreed to let the two try out a few training sessions.
During the training session, Chelsea Le showed her potential with good pressing moves. She also scored an impressive long-range goal that left the goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
At the same time, coach Mai Duc Chung and the Vietnamese women's team were participating in the AFF Cup 2019 in Thailand (the tournament in which Vietnam won the championship). After returning home, Mr. Mai Duc Chung received advice from his assistants about the potential of Chelsea Le and Kyah Le.
Sharing with Thanh Nien Newspaper reporter, the coach of the Vietnamese women's team affirmed that both Chelsea Le and Kyah Le have great potential, with good physique, neat handling ability, and modern football thinking even though they have never really followed professional football.
"I want to send a message to Chelsea Le and Kyah Le's families that both of them have a lot of potential. I hope the families will create conditions for Chelsea Le and Kyah Le to return to Vietnam to practice and compete regularly," Coach Mai Duc Chung shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper reporters.
Chelsea Le (right) has good speed and strength.
Thanh Nien Newspaper reporter then relayed the message to Mr. Lam Le, Chelsea Le's father. However, because the two sides could not find a common voice regarding the matter of traveling between the US and Vietnam, as well as not agreeing on the conditions, Chelsea Le and Kyah Le later missed their appointment with the Vietnamese women's team.
Back to score
After 6 years, Chelsea Le has returned to Vietnam for a new challenge: joining the Ho Chi Minh City women's team in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup 1.
The midfielder, born in 2001, used to play for Gonzaga University before returning to Vietnam to try his hand. For the past 6 years, Chelsea Le has been studying and pursuing her passion for football. She is at the peak of her career and wants to once again conquer the challenge in her second homeland.
In the most recent practice match, Chelsea Le assisted Huynh Nhu to score. The Vietnamese-American female player is considered to be active, open-minded and integrates quickly with her teammates.
Although Chelsea Le only signed a short-term contract with the Ho Chi Minh City women's team, her performance at the Asian Cup 1 could become a bridge for the overseas Vietnamese player to impress the coaching staff of the Vietnam women's team.
"I highly appreciate some overseas Vietnamese players who have returned to Vietnam to try their hand. They train in developed football backgrounds. Their stature is very good, and they do not have to fear any opponent when competing internationally. When these players are called back, they can compete immediately, without needing training. They just need to get used to the playing style and coordinate with their teammates.
I always encourage overseas Vietnamese players to return to the country. They have Vietnamese blood and the door to the national team is always open. After overseas Vietnamese players have citizenship, we will gather them to test their skills, physical strength and playing style, then call them up to the national team," coach Mai Duc Chung shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper.
In the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup 1 taking place on the evening of March 22 at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Club will face Abu Dhabi Country. The UAE representative drew with Hyundai Steel (Korea) and defeated Wuhan Jiangda (China) to surprisingly win second place.
The difference of Abu Dhabi Country lies in the quality of foreign players such as goalkeeper Jeane (Brazil), defender Valeriia Olkhovska (Ukraine), midfielder Aicha Hamideche (Algeria) and striker Nanami Sone.
With the ambition to go far in the Asian Cup 1, Abu Dhabi Country plans to recruit more foreign players from Japan and European countries.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-chua-ke-ve-ngoi-sao-viet-kieu-cuc-la-vua-gia-nhap-doi-nu-tphcm-185250317175552492.htm
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