Vietnamese women’s football team won a gold medal at the 25th Southeast Asia Games after beating Thailand 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw . . .

Wingers Tran Thi Kim Hong, Van Thi Thanh and midfielder Nguyen Thi Kim Tien scored from the penalty spot for Viet Nam while Thailand failed to convert any of their penalties against Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh, who had a brilliant night at the Anou-vong Stadium, Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNN)

Thailand’s skipper Junpen Seesraum blazed the ball wildly over the bar while Suphaphon Kaeobaen’s strike was saved by Trinh and Nisa Romyen Nisa dragged her shot past the right upright.

The gold medal is the fourth one that Viet Nam has won in the women’s football competition at the SEA Games after their fifth consecutive appearance in the final.

Thailand received the silver medal while the bronze medal went to Myanmar.

With this victory, striker Doan Thi Kim Chi, midfielder Nguyen Thi Mai Lan and skipper Dao Thi Mien also added fourth gold medals to their own collections.

Thailand started the match with a clear intention, they swarmed forward from the kick-off, trying to surprise Viet Nam and gain an early advantage but Viet Nam’s defence and keeper Trinh stayed focused.

Golden girls: Viet Nam team celebrate after defeating Thailand 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out following a goalless draw in yesterday’s final at the Anou-vong Stadium, Vientiane, Laos. (Photo: VNN)

In the last action of the first half, Kim Chi was guilty of squandering the most clear-cut chance to open the scoring. Hong lofted the ball into the penalty area to the unmarked Chi, but she was too slow and Thai keeper Waraporn Boonsing, prevented her finishing with a point-blank save.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first. Thailand put Viet Nam under a lot of pressure in the opening minutes and almost opened the scoring through Jupen, whose fierce close-range strike was pushed away by Trinh.

Both teams created opportunities but there were no obvious chances for either side and it remained goalless after 90 minutes.

Viet Nam bought on striker Nguyen Minh Nguyet for Le Thi Oanh, and she narrowly missed an easy chance when her header from Hong’s cross sailed over the bar.

In the final stages, with the advantage of youth and not wanting the match to be decided on penalties, Thailand flooded forward in search of a goal but Viet Nam stood firm.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News