Coach of Vietnamese women's team Mai Đức Chung (right) at the post-match press conference. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Coach Mai Đức Chung acknowledged that the 0-1 loss to the Philippines on Monday was disappointing for the Vietnamese women's team, a result that now makes victory against Myanmar essential if they are to keep alive their hopes of defending their championship title at the 33rd SEA Games.

"We do not blame the referee, the Vietnamese women's team faced an unfortunate loss," coach Chung stated at a post-match press conference.

He expressed his willingness to take full responsibility as head coach, yet he also highlighted some controversial calls. Notably, he pointed to instances where the ball appeared to touch a Philippines player’s hand without penalty, while fouls against the Vietnamese team were sanctioned more stringently.

From a tactical standpoint, coach Chung remarked that the Philippines primarily relied on high balls and their physical advantage rather than coordinated attacks. As a result, the strategy to deploy three central defenders — Diễm My, Hải Linh and Kim Yên, who are physically strong — was determined early on to bolster their competitive edge.

However, some changes made during the match did not yield the desired results. Bringing Minh Chuyên into the game in the second half was intended to increase speed and physicality, but the young player struggled to make a significant impact.

The head coach also admitted that at times the distance between players expanded, causing them to lose effective coordination and forcing them into difficult situations instead of adhering to the tactics prior to the game. This lapse diminished their overall synergy on the field.

Despite the disappointment, coach Chung reaffirmed that the Vietnamese team's path to the semi-finals of the 33rd SEA Games remains viable. He emphasised that the team must defeat Myanmar in their final group match on December 11 to keep their semi-final ambitions alive.

“The most important thing is that we must beat Myanmar. If we can do that, the team still have a chance. The players need to set aside pressure and enter this decisive match with their spirits high,” coach Chung emphasised. — VNS