WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: VIETNAM AIM TO WREST GOLD FROM THAIS

Coached by well-respected Chinese coach Chen Yun Fat, the Vietnam’s women team has been making steady progress since his takeover in 2007 when they lost the SEA Games gold after winning it in 2001 (Kuala Lumpur), 2003 (Vietnam) and then 2005 (Philippines) to the Thais in Korat.

But tomorrow, they are well poised to win their first gold medal in four years considering the result they scored against the Thais in the preliminary round.

In a round robin match, Vietnam took a comfortable 2-0 lead before Thailand scored their first goal and then an own goal allowed the defending champions to walk away with the point.

“It is time to forget that game,” said Yun Fat.

“It will be a totally new game in the final and I believe that Thailand will be more prepared this time round.

“But I believe that we are more determined to win the gold and in the final, we will put in the same kind of commitment that we have shown in all our previous matches.”

Yun Fat has made significant progress with Vietnam where at the Women’s Asian Cup 2008, they lost 1-0 against current champions China before losing to North Korea – the eventual champions of the meet.

But their 1-0 win over Thailand in the same championship gave Vietnam some measure of satisfaction and where they followed it up with another victory at the AFF Cup 2008 with wins over Thailand and Myanmar – the two strongest teams in Southeast Asia.