BANGKOK (14 June 2011) – Thailand’s women football team has qualified for the final qualifying round of the 2012 London Olympic Games when they finished at the top of the second qualifying round this week.
The Thai women began their campaign in Jordan with a 5-1 beating of Uzbekistan before whitewashing the hosts 7-0 – off goals from Wilaiporn Boothduang, Nuengruethai Phaikhet, Junpen Seesraum, Pitsmai Sornsai, Dangda Taneekarn and a brace from the mercurial Nisa Romyen.
After finishing second behind Vietnam in the first round of the qualifiers, the Thais changed their strategy this time round to hold their nemesis to a 3-3 draw.
The score at the half was 2-2 with Vietnam going in front through Le Thi Thuong and Nguyen Thi Muon before Thailand replied off an own goal from Nguyen Hai Hoa and then Kanjana Sung-Ngoen for the all-important equaliser.
Thanh Huong again put Vietnam ahead in the 37th minute but Wilaiporn Boothduang earned a point for her side with an 84th minute equaliser.
With the one point, Thailand finished with seven points – one more than Uzbekistan and three ahead of Vietnam.
The Thais will join the top five teams of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games edition – Japan, China, DPR Korea, Korea Republic and Australia – in the final round.
The one-round league format is to be played from 1-11 September, with the top two finishers getting to represent Asia at the 2012 London Olympics.
