Vietnam goalkeeper Ngo Thi Thuy Linh endured a nervy start as Japan nearly opened the scoring inside the first 30 seconds with Mika Eguchi rattling the crossbar from distance before Risa Ikadai’s header struck the left post.

The Southeast Asians were left exposed again three minutes later when Sara Oino saw an opening from the left, only to pull her shot from above the box just wide.

The pressure got to Vietnam as they conceded in the third minute when Kyoka Takahashi drove a deep ball into the box and miscommunication between Thuy Linh and defender Nguyen Phuong Anh saw the latter deflect the ball into her own net.

Another defensive lapse almost proved costly again for Vietnam when Aki Ikeuchi intercepted Nguyen Thi Van Anh’s pass and slotted past Thuy Linh, only for the goal to be ruled out for handball.

Thuy Linh kept her side in the game when she foiled Eguchi in the 11th minute before making a routine save to deny the Japanese No 3 from a counter-attack with two minutes left in the half.

Ryo Egawa, already on three goals in the tournament, went close to increasing her tally in the closing stages from inside the box, only to be denied by Thuy Linh’s tenacious goalkeeping.

Vietnam’s resolve was undone four minutes after the restart when Oino beat three defenders on the left before finding an unmarked Egawa, who struck home a composed finish into the top right corner.

Eguchi went close to extending Japan’s lead at the half-hour mark when her shot from distance rattled the bar, while a powerplay move from Vietnam almost back fired after Japan struck the left post from their own half.

Vietnam tried to claw their way back with powerplay but Japan held firm to advance.