Viet Nam thrash Indonesia 8-0

Viet Nam women”s football team routed Indonesia 8-0 in the last round robin match of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games yesterday in Marikina city, the Philippines.

With the win, the defending champion will meet Myanmar, who defeated hosts Philippines 3-1 in an earlier match, in the final. Myanmar topped the round robin stage after four wins, earning 12 points.

Vietnamese footballers, who displayed better skills and strength, dominated the game from the beginning, sending Indonesia on the defensive.

But, two minutes into the game, halfback Van Thi Thanh, Viet Nam”s player of the year in 2003, shot to the far corner of the goal, beating goalkeeper Sophia to score the first goal. Twenty minutes later, Thanh scored her second goal to take Viet Nam to 3-0, after striker Nguyen Hong Tien hit the second goal in the 13th minute.

In the second half, defender Bui Thi Tuyet made it 4-0 with Indonesia all at sea. More goals rained in the 57th, 58th, 69th and 87th minutes, completing the humiliation for Indonesia, who scored only three goals in their round robin matches.

It was an easy game for Viet Nam, and if the strikers were more accurate the scoreline would have resembled a tennis game. Indonesia had only one chance, early in the second half with a corner kick, but failed to score. Though they tried to counter-attack, the Vietnamese defenders were equal to the task, blocking all the moves.

Viet Nam, who won their third match, now meet Myanmar in the title clash on Saturday, hoping to take revenge for their qualifying round 0-1 loss. Myanmar was the runner-up in the last SEA Games in Viet Nam two years ago.

(VNS)