AFF WOMEN’S: Vietnam win Group B; Myanmar as runners-up

Vietnam won Group B of the AFF Women’s Championship here in Palembang as Myanmar made the passage to the semi-finals as the runners up following the final rounds of matches here at the Jaka Baring Stadium.

The more organised Vietnam side scored early in the first half before adding three more goals after the break as Myanmar staged a late revival for the final scoreline.

“It is good to win four wins from four matches,” said Vietnam head coach Mai Duc Chung.

“Now we will look forward to playing against Under-20 Australia in the semi-finals.”

In the match which both teams would have wanted to win so as to avoid having to play against the defending champions Thailand in the semi-finals, it was Vietnam who showed the early enterprise.

And just twelve minutes into the game, Vietnam made the score sheet when a hesitant clearance from the Myanmar backline allowed Pham Hai Yen to stab home.

Myanmar just can’t seem to get into the final quarter of their offensive play and as their frustration grew, it gave Vietnam the opportunity to create a handful of chances which they really should have finished.

As a double from Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung went abegging, Vietnam finally stretched their lead just five minutes into the second half when Hai Yen made good of a cross from captain Huynh Nhu.

Just five minutes later, it was Huynh Nhu who found the back of the net with a well-taken freekick as Myanmar then grabbed their first goal of the game through Win Theingi Tun with a 58^th minute effort.

The game went into higher gear after that with Huynh Nhu again making a fine finish in the 77^th minute from Pham Hoang Quynh cross.

Myanmar seemed to have found a late charge as they grabbed the second goal in the 88^th minute through Theingi Tun while Khin Marlar Tun fired in from range two minutes from time for the final score.

“I thought that Vietnam were under more pressure than us in this match,” said Myanmar head coach Win Thu Moe.

“If the game was five minutes longer, I thought that we could have drawn the match.”

In the meantime, the Philippines had to throw everything they got to hold hosts Indonesia to a 3-3 draw in a pulsating tie that was played earlier in the day.

With both teams already out of contention but with only pride to play for, the Philippines and Indonesian girls put up a highly entertaining match much to the delight of the several hundred fans at the stand.

It was the Philippines who grabbed the headlines in the first half, with  Inquig Kyla Jan Aragones firing in an eighth minute freekick as they then doubled their advantage just five minutes later when Semacio Joyce Omboy latched on to a cross from Kathleen Rodriguez.

“Unfortunately we can’t make a win for today. It was only 30 seconds left and Philippines scored to make it draw at the end. But I appreciate the effort from the players,” said Indonesian head coach Satia Bagdja.

“They played well and they were confident in the second half, We will make evaluation after this since the Asian Games is very close.”

The pep talk at the break by Satia seemed to have fired the home team as Zahra Muzdalifah headed in the freekick from Yudith Sada.

In the 63d minute, striker Mayang lobbed in a fabulous freekick from just outside the Philippines box to beat custodian Stavey Cavill for the second time.

All pumped up, Indonesia finally went ahead for the first time in the game in the 82^nd minute with Syenida Meryfandina blasting in from a Mayang playback.

But in their haste to pick up their first win of the competition, a late corner allowed Quinley Quezada to outjump her marker and head the ball in for both teams to share points.

“This is the most interesting match we’ve been through so far because we played against the host team in our last match in the group. A little unsatisfied because my players did not do well in the second half,” said Philippines head coach Letecia Callejas.

“The opponents scored three goals because the team was not focussed. A draw is fair and it was a game which we enjoyed very much.”

AFF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

RESULTS – Group B

Indonesia 3 Philippines 3

Vietnam 4 Myanmar 3

FIXTURES – 11 July 2018

SEMI-FINALS (Both matches at 1600hrs)

SF 1 – Thailand vs Myanmar (Jaka Baring Stadium)

SF 2 – Vietnam v U20 Australia (Bumi Sriwijaya Stadium)

Final Group Standings

*Note: Teams in BOLD qualify to the Semi-Finals

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