Futsal 

Việt Nam are to face tough rival Thailand in the semi-finals of the Southeast Asian Women's Futsal Championship on February 28 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Photo courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam are edging closer to their title target at the Southeast Asian Women's Futsal Championship, but their biggest hurdle awaits in the semi-finals on February 28 in Thailand, where fine margins could make all the difference.

The defending champions suffered a shock 2-0 loss to much lower-ranked Australia, guests at the tournament, in the opening Group B match on February 24 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

They responded strongly in the following games, beating the Philippines 2-0 and Myanmar 5-2.

The results left Việt Nam second in the group, one point behind leaders Australia.

In the semi-finals, Australia will face SEA Games silver medallists Indonesia, while Việt Nam and Thailand will meet in a rematch of the last championship’s gold medal clash.

Việt Nam have established themselves as a regional force, winning the 2024 title and the 33rd SEA Games trophy, achievements that lifted them to No.11 in the world rankings.

However, they have encountered difficulties in this tournament, with their finishing proving wasteful.

Across all three group matches, Vietnamese players created numerous clear chances but failed to convert many of them, contributing to the defeat to Australia and the modest scoreline against the Philippines.

Coach Nguyễn Đình Hoàng said he must address issues in defence, citing lapses in concentration and indecisive play. The team’s coordination and cover also need improvement, as there is no margin for error in the knock-out stage.

Thailand, who lost both the regional title and the SEA Games crown to Việt Nam, remain the highest-ranked side in the tournament.

They have impressed with varied attacking options, swift transitions from defence to attack and clinical finishing.

The world No. 8 outfit completed the group stage with a perfect record of two emphatic wins.

They progressed to the semi-finals as Group A winners, scoring 11 goals without conceding.

Fervent backing from home supporters will add another layer of challenge for Việt Nam.

Coach Hoàng said that to defeat Thailand, his players must maintain maximum concentration throughout the 40 minutes and make full use of counter-attacking opportunities.

At the last championship, Việt Nam ended Thailand’s ASEAN dominance with a 2-1 victory in the final, lifting the trophy for the first time in their history. — VNS