Hosting the tournament for the second time, Vietnam began with a 3-1 victory over Jordan after Nguyen Thi Muon’s opener was followed with a brace by Le Thu Thanh Huong.

Defeats to Japan and Australia ensued but their opening day victory meant the Southeast Asians had done enough to finish third in their group and book a fifth-place play-off game with Thailand for a berth at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

The East Asians’ dominance was at its peak between 1986 and 1999 when they won all seven continental titles in an era that included legends of the women’s game such as Sun Wen, Pu Wei and Gao Hong. 

China’s first success, on their competition debut, came after a 2-0 victory over Japan in the final and they would go on to make their mark on the global game throughout the 1990s.

 

Join the-AFC.com as we count down to Friday's kick-off with an in-depth look at the eight teams, starting with the Philippines.

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Back in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time since 2003, the Philippines will be looking to advance beyond the group stage, a feat never achieved before, and seal a spot at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Southeast Asians booked their place at the tournament after finishing second in their qualifying group behind Jordan, who were already guaranteed a place as hosts.

Set to take part in their 12th successive continental competition, the East Asians booked their place after edging past neighbours DPR Korea in the qualification campaign in Pyongyang. 

After running out 10-0 winners over India in their opening game, Jang Sel-gi scored what would eventually prove to be a crucial equaliser to earn a 1-1 draw with hosts DPR Korea. 

Korea Republic then saw off Hong Kong 6-0 and Uzbekistan 4-0 to finish on top of the group by virtue of goal difference to confirm their passage to Jordan.

Striker Huynh scored a hat-trick, while Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung, Nguyen Thi Muon, Thai Thi Thao and Pham Hoang Quynh scored two each in 11-0 win against a side representing second-tier outfit Borussia Monchengladbach.

Originally scheduled to meet Frauen Bundesliga side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, Mai Duc Chung’s team were forced to switch opponents at short notice, and made light work of the Germans to record their biggest win since beating Syria by the same margin in Jordan 2018 qualifying last April.

For over a decade Dang Thi Kieu Trinh has been an ever-present figure at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Since making her competition finals debut against a Homare Sawa-inspired Japan in 2006, the goalkeeper, now a veteran at 32, has featured in every edition of the tournament since and seen her side consistently improve.

That improvement almost culminated in a place at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, but Vietnam fell agonisingly short, losing 2-1 to regional rivals Thailand the winner-take-all playoff for fifth at the 2014 Women’s Asian Cup in Ho Chi Minh City.

This time around, the Vietnamese Golden Ball winner is motivated to go one better.

“The memories of that match are unhappy ones as we did not perform well and missed the chance to reach the World Cup,” she said.

“We consider the loss of that playoff game as our motivation to play well in Jordan.”

When Australia lined up to meet continental rivals Japan at the US-based Tournament of Nations last July, Sam Kerr took the field with a career tally of eight international goals since making her debut in 2009.

Kerr would go on to score a hat-trick that afternoon, marking the beginning of a record-breaking run in which she amassed 12 goals in her next seven international matches, in addition to dominant domestic performances in both the US and Australia.

With the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in her focus, Kerr spoke to the-AFC.com about her amazing rise, scoring in the final as teenager in 2010 and being drawn against mighty Japan in Group B.