Vietnam dethroned Thailand in a dramatic 3-0 shootout to steal the 25th SEA Games women’s football championship on Wednesday.

Beating their arch rivals after a scoreless game, the women’s victory marks Vietnam’s fourth women’s football title in the past five South East Asian Games.

The fight for the title at Chao Anu-Vong Stadium in Vientiane on Wednesday was hard for both teams.

After 120 minutes of failed attempts, Thailand’s first and third shots from the penalty spot went wide and the second was saved by Vietnam’s goalkeeper Kieu Trinh while Vietnamese players Kim Hong, Van Thi Thanh and Kim Tien each put a ball in Thailand’s net.

Speaking after the match, Vietnam Football Federation President Nguyen Trong Hy said, “Tears were in the corners of my eyes all through the 120 tense minutes because of the hard situations the Vietnamese women players had to experience.

“However, I started to believe Vietnam would win when the match went into the extra time.

VFF has offered the team VND2 billion (US$110,000) and $6,000 in bonuses for the win.

“So they can go shopping tomorrow,” said Hy.

Team captain Dao Thi Mien burst out crying and said she wanted to offer the glorious victory to her late father, who passed away while Mien was preparing to train with the national team in Japan.

Source: Thanh Nien