SEA Games: Women footballers cruise into semi-finals

Female Vietnamese footballers have qualified for the semi-final match of the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar after defeating their hosts Myanmar 1-0 on December 15.

Despite strong support from thousands of home spectators, visiting Vietnamese players looked comfortable, controlling the tempo of the game.  

Zin Mar Win’s own goal gave Vietnam a 20-minute lead. From Kim Hong’s free kick, Zin Mar Win headed home, putting Myanmar at a disadvantage.

Host players launched counterattacks, hoping to equalise the scoring. One minute before the break, Lo Wer Phaw found the net, but the goal was not accepted as she was off-sided.

Vietnam’s Huynh Nhu missed a chance to extend Vietnam's lead on 60 minutes when she faced the Myanmar goalie. Unfortunately, the ball went wide past the woodwork.

Both teams scored no more goals before the referee’s final whistle.

After two wins, Vietnam topped group A and are likely to meet Malaysia in the semi-finals. Myanmar are likely to take on archrivals Thailand in the semi-finals.

More SEA Games gold for Vietnamese athletes

Vietnam has won five more gold medals at the SEA Games in Myanmar, bringing its gold medal total to 27 and edging the team closer to their tally-leading hosts.

The shooting trio of Hoa Hong, Hoang Ngoc, and Minh Chau won the team 10m pistol event with 1,118 points. Minh Chau also earned the individual 10m pistol gold with 195.6 points.

The two golds follow fellow shooter Thanh Dat’s earlier triumph.

Compatriot Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son won the blitz chess gold medal on the same day.

Vietnamese Karate athlete Pham Thi Tien left with a silver medal after losing to a Malaysian rival in their final. Ngoc Thanh defeated a Thai opponent to win bronze.

Vietnamese boxers Ha Thi Linh and Luu Thi Duyen both won gold medals in the 64kg and 60kg divisions.

The Pencak Silat team won four gold medals at the SEA games today, bringing the Vietnamese gold medal tally to 34.

The first one belonged to Le Sy Kien in the 85kg division and his teammate Nguyen Duy Tien also defeated the host rival 5-0 to win another gold in the 80kg category, while Vo Thi Yen trounced Indonesian rival, Mariati, in the final round.

Vo Xuan Vinh achieved a silver medal in the 20km-walk event.

The shooting team also secured a gold with 1,705 points in the short-range air rifle event and shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh got a gold in his air rifle event. This is the sixth gold medal the shooting team has been awarded at the Games so far.

Dang Dinh Tien became the oldest Vietnamese athlete to win a gold medal in the billiard carom event.

Men win football contest

Viet Nam defeated Laos 5-0 to keep their semi-final hopes alive at the SEA Games' men's football competition yesterday.

Captain Nguyen Van Quyet pocketed a double, while Pham Van Hung and Mac Hong Quan scored one each.

The Vietnamese always have a slow start, and it was the same yesterday for the team who needed at least four points to ensure a semi-final berth.

Their strikers missed a number of goals before midfielder Hung opened the score at the 27th minute of the match. Hung set up an eye-catching free kick over the Laotian defence and into the net as keeper Somvang stretched his body, but failed to block the ball.

Two minutes later, captain Quyet received the ball from a left-wing pass to the box. Quyet made a solo performance, passing around two defenders before netting exactly to Somvang's high corner.

His second goal came at the 73rd minute from a header. The national team player broke an off-side trap to face Somvang and easily made it 3-0.

Vu Minh Tuan, who missed his chances in the first half, scored his second goal in Nay Pyi Taw at the 79th minute. His slow shoot touched a Lao defender and changed its direction to enter the net as Somvang only watched.

Oversea Vietnamese Mac Hong Quan also had his second goal, with an accurate kick three minutes before the end of the game.

Quan left all Lao defenders behind and face Somvang, giving him no chance to save his net with a shot to the left corner.

This was the third win in a row for Viet Nam over Laos.

In the other matches in Group A, Malaysia drew 1-1 with Singapore.

Singapore, which has eight points, is the first team of the group to enter the semi-final round.

The other berth will go to tomorrow's winner of the match between Viet Nam and Malaysia.

In women's football news, the Vietnamese women's team overcame hosts Myanmar 1-0 in Group A in Mandalay City.

Myanmar's Zin Mar Moe made her own goal at the 20th minute. It was also the only goal, although both sides tried to set up many attacks.

The defending champion, Viet Nam, with six points has taken the lead in the group.

In Wednesday's semi-final round, they will play Malaysia. The other semi will see Myanmar vs Thailand.

The Viet Nam Football Federation also made a strong push for the women's team, since they would receive a VND2 billion (US$95,000) bonus in case of winning the title. For the first time, the award is the same amount as the men's team has been offered.

Sixth gold bagged for Vietnamese shooting team

Shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh brought home a gold medal in the men’s 10m air pistol on December 15.

This is the sixth gold the Vietnamese shooting team has secured at the ongoing SEA Games, held in Yangon , Myanmar .

At the category, Vinh defeated his Malaysian rival Cheu Eddy, finishing at 199.7 points.

Previously, the Vietnamese trio of Hoang Xuan Vinh, Tran Quoc Cuong and Ho Thanh Hai got 1,705 points overall, bagging gold medal by a narrow margin in the male team’s 10m air pistol on the same day’s morning.

Pencak silat brings Vietnam more gold medals

Vietnam’s Pencak silat team on December 15 won three gold medals at the ongoing SEA Games in Myanmar , fulfilling its target.

The achievement was made by Le Si Kien ( men’s 85kg category), Nguyen Duy Tuyen (men’s 80kg category), and Nguyen Thi Yen (women’s 75kg category).

In the same day, shooter Hoang Xuan Vinh brought a gold, the six gold medal for Vietnam’s shooting team.

By 5pm of December 15, Vietnam ranked third in the medal tally with 35 golds, 32 silvers, and 40 bronzes, after Thailand and the host Myanmar.