Will the 'good land' Chonburi help the Vietnamese women's team win the SEA Games for the 5th consecutive time?

SEA Games 33 is an important destination for the Vietnamese women's team in 2025. Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team are facing the opportunity to win the championship for the 9th time and 5 consecutive times.

From the fate 6 years ago in Chonburi to a favorable opportunity for the Vietnamese women's team

When the 33rd SEA Games Organizing Committee decided that the women's football event would take place in Chonburi, a beautiful coastal city located about 70 km from the capital Bangkok, things were not necessarily favorable for the host Thailand. But perhaps coach Mai Duc Chung and his team felt somewhat reassured, because the Vietnamese women's team won the championship right on this land 6 years ago at the AFF Women's Cup 2019 when they defeated the Thais.

Vietnam women's team won the AFF Cup 2019 in Chonburi

PHOTO: VFF

The Vietnamese women's team will not have to travel as far as the U.23 Vietnam team. It is expected that after flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok on December 2, the team will be picked up by the organizing committee's bus to Chonburi, unlike the U.23 team who flew a day earlier but had to transfer in the Thai capital before flying more than 800 km to Songkhla.

Coach Mai Duc Chung and his team will return to familiar land, where 6 years ago Vietnam achieved the feat of winning all 5 matches, scoring 24 goals and only conceding 1 goal.

Hai Yen (12) competes for the ball with a Myanmar defender

PHOTO: VFF

At that time, our golden girls won gloriously in the group stage against Cambodia 10-0, Indonesia 7-0 and Myanmar 4-0, scoring 21 goals without conceding any. In the semi-finals, they beat the Philippines 2-1 and in the final, they beat Thailand 1-0 to win the championship. Of the 24 goals, captain Huynh Nhu scored 7, in which the only goal in the final match in the 3rd minute of extra time crushed all hopes of the Thai people. The remaining goals were scored by striker Pham Hai Yen (6 goals), midfielder Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (5 goals), midfielder Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung (4 goals), midfielder Thai Thi Thao (1 goal) and 1 own goal by a Myanmar defender.

Thai Thi Thao's joy after scoring

PHOTO: VFF

The achievement was even more valuable when we ended the period of domination of the Thai girls with 3 consecutive AFF Cup championships before (2015, 2016 and 2018). Especially, it was a painful blow to the hearts of the Thai people when just over a month before, they were also the representative of Southeast Asia at the 2019 World Cup in France. Vietnamese women's football affirmed its strength to become the team that won the SEA Games 4 times in a row (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), surpassing the achievement of 3 consecutive championships of the Thai people in the early period (1985, 1995, 1997).

Captain Huynh Nhu will lead the Vietnamese women's team's attack to success.

PHOTO: VFF

So returning to Chonburi this time, so many memories came flooding back. Head coach Mai Duc Chung exclaimed: "We are very happy to return to Chonburi, where our young girls left a strong mark. Through each match in Chonburi at that time, the female players also became more experienced and mature. Of course, each time is different, this time there will be more difficulties waiting for us, and the opponents will also be better. But playing on a land that once brought success to the Vietnamese women's team will more or less help the whole team to be more confident and have a stronger mentality. I hope the whole team will be determined and will make the best effort to protect the achievements they have built."

Southeast Asian Champions 2019

PHOTO: VFF

Most of the faces that fought together 6 years ago to win against Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand, are present this time. The most regrettable is Tuyet Dung, one of the heroes of the Vietnamese women's team, who will be absent because she has switched to coaching. The remaining Huynh Nhu, Kim Thanh, Bich Thuy, Hai Yen, Thai Thi Thao, Duong Thi Van, Le Thi Diem My, Nguyen Thi My Anh... are still in good shape. Combining with them are talented faces such as Thanh Nha, Hai Linh, Van Su, Tran Thi Thu, Hoang Thi Loan and new factors promoted in the generational transition process such as Tran Nhat Lan, Ngoc Minh Chuyen. The veteran experience and the youth of the new names will help coach Mai Duc Chung feel secure in building a tight, quality squad, strong enough to go to the final match.

Tuyet Dung (7) moving to coaching is the most regrettable absence for Vietnamese girls.

PHOTO: VFF

According to the plan, after the training trip to Japan from November 20 to 29, playing 3 matches with the "blue troops" which are clubs from the land of the rising sun, the whole team will return to Ho Chi Minh City to fly to Thailand on December 2. The match schedule of the women's team in Group B (with 4 teams) is very favorable when facing opponents from easy to heavy including: Meeting Malaysia (18:30 on December 5), meeting the Philippines (18:30 on December 8), meeting Myanmar (16:00 on December 11). If they reach the semi-finals, they will continue to compete on December 14, the final or third place match on December 17, all in Chonburi (unlike the U.23 team, if they reach the semi-finals, they will have to travel back to Bangkok to compete).

Bich Thuy (23) is still the hope on the right wing of the Vietnamese women's team.

PHOTO: VFF

Hopefully, the "good land" Chonburi will help the Vietnamese girls continue to promote their strength, resilience and courage to overcome each opponent. Especially if they meet, they will definitely win against the host Thailand to affirm the position that we have built over the past 5 years. This will not only bring joy and happiness to the country's football fans, but also officially record the name of coach Mai Duc Chung and his team in history when creating a miracle, with 5 consecutive SEA Games championships and 9 times reaching the highest position in the region.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dat-lanh-chonburi-se-giup-doi-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-lan-thu-5-lien-tiep-vo-dich-sea-games-185251114125525556.htm