Striker Taneekarn Dangda saved Thailand the blushes when her header four minutes to the end gave them a valuable 1-1 draw against Vietnam in a Group B tie of the women’s football event of the SEA Games that was played this afternoon at the Binan Football Stadium.
In what was a continuation of their close rivalry at the AFF level, both teams were full of animation as they played an attacking game throughout.
Thailand came agonisingly close in the first half only to concede through Vietnam’s Duong Thi Van just before the end of the first half with a close finish off a floater.
But the Thai girls did not give up and their persistence paid off three minutes to the end when Taneekarn headed home the cross from the left.
“Draw was a fair result considering the quality of the game. But I thought that we were lucky in the first half when Thailand were in control and had some good chances,” said Vietnam head coach Mai Duc Chung.
In the meantime, hosts Philippines picked up their first point in Group A when they held Laos to a scoreless draw in a pulsating encounter that was played at the Binan Football Stadium this evening.
Playing at home for the first time in more than a decade, the Philippines girls were motivated but Quinley Quezada could not find her way through Myanmar keeper Mya Phu Ngon.
Myanmar’s Khin Marlar Tun fared no better as she struggled to put the ball beyond the reach of custodian Inna Palacios.
