Vietnam stomps class over Malditas to book place in SEA Games women's football final

By Kevin Estrada

BINAN, LAGUNA -- Reigning SEA Games champion Vietnam will continue their defence of their gold medal after outlasting host nation Philippines, 2-0 in the semifinals of the women's football tournament at the Binan Football Stadium Thursday evening.

After being held to a first-half standoff, Mai Duc Chung's Golden Girls were clinical in the second half to relegate the Malditas to the bronze medal match, similar to what they did in the AFF Women's Championship earlier this year.

With the win, Vietnam will face Thailand on December 8 in the final in Rizal Memorial as it will be the tiebreaker in which they shared evenly all the ten gold medals contested in women's football.

The Malditas of Let Dimzon were left to rue their missed chances in the entire match, and were even at the shorter end of the officiating after they were denied twice for handballs in inside the box, but a rematch with Myanmar will give them their final shot at the podium, looking to end the 34-year drought.

Thai Thi Tao put the visitors ahead at the hour mark, after she was freed in the far post by Duong Thi Van's cross after Vietnam caught the Malditas napping on the counter.

Four minutes after that, Tran Thi Kim Thanh came to Vietnam's rescue to deny Claire Lim with a flying stop on her bouncing effort.

The hosts almost got the equalizer in the 73rd minute, only for Alisha Del Campo saw her header being denied by the lineswoman's flag.

Such missed chances have made the Filipinas pay later on, as Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung put the finishing touches six minutes before full-time with a nifty right-footed effort, sending the red half of more than 2500 inside the stable of Stallion Laguna in jovial mood.

Philippines: Palacios (GK), Lim, Long, Rodriguez (Madarang 76'), Dolino, Bolden, Quezada, Impelido (C), Castaneda, Bernal, Del Campo (Lemoran 84')

Vietnam: Kim Thanh (GK), Hong Nhung, Thi Kieu, Thi Tuyet Dung, Huynh Nhu (CO), Thi Tao, Hai Yen, Thi Tuoi, Thi Van (Thi Lieu 70'), Thi Xuyen, Bich Thuy (Thi Loan 82')

attendance: 2,509


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