Vietnam women’s football team train at Universiti Malaya Stadium in Malaysia this morning (Photo: vff.org.vn) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Vietnam hope to beat Thailand to take gold atthe women’s football event of the upcoming 29th Southeast Asian (SEA)Games, according to Duong Vu Lam, head of the women’s football operationalstaff.
“At the 27th Games in Myanmar four years ago, we lost to Thailand 2-1 in thefinal. We come here with the highest goal of winning the women’s football event,”Lam said in a press conference on August 14 in Kuala Lumpur.
Women’s football was not in the programme of the 2015 Games in Singapore.
Lam said Vietnam are ready to take on their rivals and the pressure ofexpectations at the tournament.
The team have trained for more than a month at home and in Japan, gainingvaluable experience.
[Women’s football team arrive in Malaysia, aim for gold]
The Vietnamese team arrived in Malaysia on August 13 and had a light trainingsession on August 14’s morning. All players are in good health and feelingpositive.
Speaking of their competitors, particularly Thailand and Myanmar, coach Mai DucChung said all national teams are strong and his team respect them all.
The Vietnamese team have played these teams several times and know them well,so they are confident they will perform in each match, he said.
Meanwhile, coach Spencer Prior of Thailand was full of praise for Vietnam andMyanmar.
Prior said Vietnam have shown tremendous improvement recently while Myanmar areequally dangerous as seen in the several recent encounters. Prior reminded hisplayers not to underestimate the two sides who were eager to end Thailand’sperfect record in the women’s football event, which was first introduced in the1985 Bangkok SEA Games.
At the Games this year, the women’s football competition will be contested in around-robin format with Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines andMalaysia in the fray.
Vietnam will open up against the Philippines at Stadium Arena, UniversityMalaya on August 17. Then they will face Myanmar on August 20, Thailand onAugust 22 and Malaysia on August 24.
Thailand, the five-time winners, will begin against Myanmar at UM Arena Stadiumwhile Malaysia will take on the Philippines at UITM Stadium in Shah Alam onAugust 15.-VNA
