Vietnam Women's Team vs. Indonesia: Heading towards the final

In the SEA Games 33 semi-final match taking place at 4 PM this afternoon (December 14th, broadcast live on FPT PLAY), against Indonesia, a team considered weaker, the Vietnamese women's team needs a convincing victory to build momentum for the final.

The Vietnamese women's team aims for their fifth consecutive SEA Games gold medal - Photo: THANH DINH

After a surprising 0-1 defeat against the Philippines, the Vietnamese women's team secured a 2-0 victory against Myanmar. Now, their next challenge in the semi-finals is Indonesia – a team eager to transform themselves.

Champion's spirit

In Group B, the outcome was decided in the final minutes when all three teams – Vietnam, the Philippines, and Myanmar – had the same 6 points. A superior goal difference (+8) helped the Vietnamese women's team take the top spot, pushing their rivals the Philippines down to second place and eliminating Myanmar.

In the victory against Myanmar, the tactical flexibility and experience of the key players were put to good use. The midfield, with the mobility of Thai Thi Thao and Hai Linh, controlled the central area well. The defense, under the command of goalkeeper Kim Thanh and Hoang Thi Loan, played very focused to maintain the score.

Facing Indonesia, the Vietnamese women's team holds a significant psychological advantage based on their head-to-head history. At the Southeast Asian Women's Football Championship in August 2025, the Vietnamese team "annihilated" Indonesia with a 7-0 victory. This difference in skill level, coupled with the momentum from the match against Myanmar, means victory is entirely within the Vietnamese women's team's reach.

Coach Mai Duc Chung and the women's national team aim to defend their SEA Games 33 gold medal - Photo: TTO

Beware of Indonesia's array of naturalized stars.

Despite being considered the "weakest" team among the four semi-finalists (having lost 0-8 to Thailand in their opening match), Indonesia is not an opponent to be underestimated, especially given their improvement in their 3-1 victory over Singapore. Unlike their previous "easy points" status in earlier SEA Games, this time the Indonesian team presented a new image thanks to their strong naturalization policy.

Coach Mai Duc Chung specifically warned his players about the opponent's "vertical axis" of naturalized players. These include center-back Nahon Emily Julia Frederica, midfielder De Zeeuw Felicia Victoria, and especially the attacking midfielder Warps Isa Guusje. These players possess ideal physiques and a modern approach to football. Together, they form a much stronger framework for the Indonesian national team compared to the past.

"Don't be complacent just because they lost heavily to Thailand. Once the team is warmed up and the naturalized players get into the rhythm of the game, Indonesia will be very dangerous in aerial duels and speed races," coach Mai Duc Chung commented.

The lesson from the loss to the Philippines remains: possession, imposing their game, but failing to score and leaving themselves vulnerable to long-ball counter-attacks. Therefore, the task for the Vietnamese defense is to block space, minimize set pieces and aerial balls into the penalty area.

In this semi-final match, the Vietnamese women's team will most likely field their strongest lineup to secure an early victory, while also resting key players for the final.

With their superior technical and tactical skills and high morale, fans have every right to believe in a victory against Indonesia, bringing the Vietnamese women's team closer to their fifth consecutive SEA Games gold medal.

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THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tuyen-nu-viet-nam-indonesia-huong-ve-tran-chung-ket-20251214082843339.htm