YANGON (10 Sept 2013) – Hosts Myanmar made a fabulous start to their campaign in Group B of the AFF Aya Bank Women’s Championship when they thrashed Laos 5-0 in the match that was played at the Youth Training Centre.
But the tie was anything but overwhelming as Laos restricted the home team to just the lone penalty from captain San San Maw before fatigue allowed them to be overran in the second half.
“We got the result that we wanted but the problem was that we could not play our game throughout the 90 minutes,” said Myanmar coach Yoshinori Kumada. “It was a lot of pressure to play in front of our own fans, but even though we scored only when Laos got tired after the hour mark, it was important that we play our game.”
Backed by vociferous home fans, the Myanmar girls went on the offensive as soon as the first whistle was blown by referee Mai Hoang Trang from Vietnam. Yee Yee Oo, Khin Moe Wai and Naw Arlo Wer Phaw all missed with the chances that were presented.
Right at the half hour mark, Myanmar earned a penalty when Laos’ Souchitta Phonharath kwas deemed to have kicked Yee Yee for which San San did not miss when she shot to the left of keeper Phouth Khamsoukthavong.
With the score at just 1-0 at the half, Myanmar tweaked their tactics somewhat and just eight minutes after the restart, they scored their second goal of the game when Khin Marlar Tun cut in from the left off a cross from Yee Yee to slot the ball home.
And after hitting the crossbar yet again, Yee Yee finally made the scoresheet with a grounder from the edge of the box before Khin Moe Wai grabbed a double with two strikes in the 80th and 82nd minute.
“There is a big difference in the conditioning of the players from Laos and Myanmar,” said Kei Homma, the chief coach of Laos. “I thought that we could at least get a draw from this match. I certainly did not expect a beating.”
RESULT – Group B
Laos 0 Myanmar 5
