Opponents at SEA Games 33 simultaneously declare war on Vietnam women's team

Falling into the group considered to be the death group including Myanmar, Philippines and Malaysia, the Vietnamese women's team entered the 33rd SEA Games with great pressure but still kept the goal of defending the title.

Coach Mai Duc Chung affirmed his determination to defend the title.

Opening the press conference before the match against Malaysia on the evening of December 5, coach Mai Duc Chung shared many emotions when returning to Thailand after 6 years, and said: "We always promote the spirit of friendship and compete with the highest sportsmanship ."

Regarding the preparation process, the veteran coach said that the team has been focusing for more than a month with a strong, rejuvenated force. "Some older or injured pillars cannot participate, typically Chuong Thi Kieu. However, we have an alternative plan. Although the team's strength may decrease a bit, the team's spirit and determination remain the same," affirmed coach Mai Duc Chung.

Not only Vietnam is determined, the opponents also come to the tournament with high spirits and careful preparation. Coach Joel Cornellu of Malaysia shared: "We have good preparation. Coming to this tournament, we will meet strong teams, but the important thing is the progress of the team. We have some friendly matches before the tournament. For example, in the match against Bangladesh, we played very well."

On the Philippines side, coach Mark Torcaso assessed that Group B is very difficult, but emphasized that the team is ready to compete fairly. "We have a mission to do, which is to come here and become the best team, and we are very determined," coach Mark Torcaso affirmed.

Myanmar coach Uki Tetsuro revealed that the team just had a 3-match training trip in Japan and set a goal of playing well in each match, especially the opening match against the Philippines.

The 33rd SEA Games women’s football competition has 8 participating teams, divided into two groups. The Vietnamese women’s team falls into group B with Myanmar, the Philippines and Malaysia – a group of opponents that are considered very difficult as both Myanmar and the Philippines are the top candidates for the gold medal race. Meanwhile, group A with Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia is considered easier.

However, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team aim to successfully defend their championship title, thereby completing a streak of 5 consecutive SEA Games – an achievement that clearly demonstrates the number one position of Vietnamese women's football in the region.

Source: https://znews.vn/doi-thu-o-sea-games-33-dong-loat-tuyen-chien-tuyen-nu-viet-nam-post1608440.html