Hot sports news on the morning of March 2: Huynh Nhu and Thanh Nha praised by Asian press in World Cup qualifiers

Hot sports news on the morning of March 2: Vietnam women's national team assessed as having "world-class" defense; Hanoi FC player sent off for dragging opponent off the pitch...

Thanh Nha and Huynh Nha praised by Asian press

The Gogoal from Chinese Taipei recently published an article about the Vietnam women's national team ahead of the 2026 Women's Asian Cup finals, mentioning Huynh Nhu and Thanh Nha.

"Veteran player Huynh Nhu leads the Vietnam women's football team in their quest for a second World Cup ticket. The 'world-class' defense and rising young stars are seen as a threat to the Chinese Taipei women's team," the Gogoal wrote.

This newspaper wrote about Huynh Nhu: "In the Vietnam women's national team squad, the most influential name is undoubtedly legendary forward Huynh Nhu (number 9). As the greatest scorer in Vietnam women's football history, she has scored 70 goals in 121 national team appearances. In 2022, she moved to play in Portugal, becoming the first Vietnamese female player to go abroad. Her sharp scoring instinct and leadership qualities make her the spiritual pillar of the attack."

"Additionally, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha (number 19), possessing an elegant appearance, is famous for her extremely fast breakthrough speed. She scored in a one-on-one situation in a 2023 friendly against the German women's national team, which was also Vietnam's only goal in that match. She is seen as a game-changer in the team's wing attacks," Gogoal wrote.

The 2026 Women's Asian Cup serves as the qualifying round for the 2027 Women's World Cup. The four quarter-final winners will directly qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup, while the four quarter-final losers will play play-in matches to determine the two remaining direct slots, and also select two Asian representatives for the intercontinental play-off round.

According to the schedule, the Vietnam women's national team will face Chinese Taipei on March 7 in the group stage.

Hanoi FC player sent off for dragging opponent off the pitch

On the evening of March 1 at Hang Day Stadium, Hanoi FC lost 0-1 to The Cong in round 14 of V-League 2025-2026 in a tense derby. The turning point came in the 79th minute when forward Daniel Passira received a direct red card. Earlier, Nguyen Duc Hoang Minh was injured and lay near the touchline. Passira approached intending to help the opponent up, but when medical staff had arrived, he suddenly grabbed Hoang Minh's legs and dragged him off the pitch, causing The Cong players to react fiercely. Referee Songkran Bunmeekiart immediately showed the red card despite Passira and his teammates' explanations.

Earlier, The Cong played sharper and scored the only goal in the 40th minute thanks to a beautiful strike by Nguyen Huu Thang following a corner kick combination. In the second half, Hanoi pressed forward but only had one clear chance when Passira's header hit the crossbar. With the loss, Hanoi's four-match unbeaten run ended and they remain in fourth place with 21 points, while The Cong moved up to second with 28 points.

Arteta praises goalkeeper after victory over Chelsea

Coach Mikel Arteta praised David Raya after Arsenal's 2-1 victory over Chelsea, admitting his "heart almost stopped" when the Spanish goalkeeper made a decisive last-minute save.

A goal by Jurriën Timber from a Declan Rice corner helped Arsenal re-establish a 5-point lead over Man City in the Premier League title race. Although Chelsea were down to 10 men after Pedro Neto's red card, they almost equalized when Alejandro Garnacho unleashed a dangerous shot late in the game, but Raya made an excellent save.

"David Raya is certainly one of our leaders. He is the type of goalkeeper who knows how to maintain concentration and can decide a match when you need it," Coach Arteta stated.

"There were times when David Raya was almost not involved in the game, then suddenly had to act. The save in the final moment, that was an unbelievable shot and my heart almost stopped, but David Raya once again made the save," Coach Arteta added.

Antony argues with Sevilla fans

The Seville derby between Real Betis and Sevilla ended dramatically as Betis squandered a victory despite leading 2-0. Antony opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a spectacular bicycle kick, helping the home side take a 2-0 lead in the first half and creating a frenzied atmosphere at the Villamarín.

However, in the second half, Sevilla mounted a strong comeback, capitalizing on Betis's defensive mistakes to equalize 2-2, including the leveling goal in the 85th minute. When the match ended, Betis fans booed and criticized the players. Antony did not go to the dressing room but approached the stands, engaging in a heated verbal exchange with fans, even jumping over advertising boards. Teammates like Cucho Hernández and security personnel had to intervene to prevent a physical altercation.

Despite the incident, Antony is having an impressive season with 20 goals and 14 assists for Betis.

Crystal Palace manager criticizes penalty in defeat to Man Utd

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner harshly criticized the refereeing after a 1-2 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League. He argued that the penalty which allowed Bruno Fernandes to equalize 1-1 was a wrong decision, as Maxence Lacroix's foul on Matheus Cunha started outside the box. Glasner insisted it was not a penalty, though it could have been a red card for a foul outside the area, and implied the referee gave Man Utd an "Old Trafford privilege".

Manager Oliver Glasner declared: "I think it was a very harsh decision. The foul started outside the penalty area. Cunha was very clever to wait until he was inside the box before going down."

"There are several different situations to assess, but I still feel it was the wrong decision. It was not a penalty, it could have been a red card for a foul outside the box. But the foul started outside the penalty area. Perhaps that's a bit of 'Old Trafford privilege'," the Crystal Palace manager emphasized.

Argentina vs Spain match left in limbo

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) announced the postponement of all football competitions and matches until further notice on Sunday, amid escalating global tensions following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the QFA did not specifically mention the airstrikes, only stating that "the date for the resumption of competitions will be announced at the appropriate time."

It remains unclear whether the Finalissima match between Argentina and Spain will take place at Lusail Stadium (Doha) as planned. This friendly is scheduled for March 27, marking the first time Lamine Yamal faces Lionel Messi.

Spanish newspaper AS reported the match is "in limbo," but by Sunday afternoon, a source from the Royal Spanish Football Federation told ESPN there had been no notification about a possible postponement.

Mourinho frustrated with refereeing in Portuguese Primeira Liga

Coach Jose Mourinho expressed frustration with the refereeing in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, claiming Benfica are playing in "two parallel competitions": one real table based on official points and a "virtual table" reflecting what he believes is influenced by external factors. Benfica currently sits third with 55 points, but Mourinho hinted the title race is not entirely fair.

"There is a real table and a virtual table. The real one is the recognized table, but if we want to stick to the virtual one, there is a fundamental difference. The real table remains the real one, but as a team leader, I also have to rely on the virtual one for motivation. We understand very well what has been and is happening," Mourinho stated.

"I want to stay at Benfica, but in one competition, not two. I don't like playing in the real and virtual leagues simultaneously. Currently, we are playing in two competitions. I want to respect my contract with Benfica, and if the club wants me to stay for many more years, I will sign without adding a single comma, but I don't want to continue playing in two leagues anymore," Mourinho added.