Van Su scored the opening goal with a header, sending the Vietnamese women's team into the SEA Games semi-finals.

The Vietnamese women's national team defeated Myanmar to win their group and advance to the semi-finals of the women's football tournament at the 33rd SEA Games, where coach Mai Duc Chung's team will face Indonesia. The highlight of the match came early: two consecutive headers from Ngan Thi Van Su and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy – midfielders who are only about 1.53m tall – both stemming from well-prepared situations.

The crucial moment

In the 8th minute, Tran Thi Duyen crossed the ball from the wing into the penalty area, and Ngan Thi Van Su made a run to intercept and headed the ball skillfully into the net against Myanmar. The early goal not only broke the deadlock but also increased the pace of the game, exactly as Vietnam intended.

Developments

Buoyed by the opening goal, Vietnam continued to maintain pressure. Just 7 minutes later (15th minute), Hoang Thi Loan caused a Myanmar player to scramble to clear the ball, which hit the crossbar and bounced out. Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy rushed in and headed the ball into the net from an open position, doubling the lead. Both goals came from aggressive runs into the penalty area, making good use of second balls and crosses.

Tactical perspective

Two consecutive headers clearly illustrated Vietnam's attacking philosophy: accelerating down the flanks, choosing the right moment for early crosses, and attacking the space between Myanmar's central defenders and full-backs. Tran Thi Duyen's assist showed preparation for the cross into the "5.5-meter area," while Bich Thuy's goal was the result of continuous pressure, ready for the second half after a misplaced clearance.

Coach Mai Duc Chung praised Ngan Thi Van Su's decisiveness in the jumping header goal despite being only 1.53m tall. Both goals were well-rehearsed examples, highlighting tactical discipline and the ability to execute at the right time.

Statements after the match

Ngân Thị Vạn Sự – the scorer of the opening goal – emotionally shared: “Entering the match, the team faced a lot of pressure, but Coach Mai Đức Chung always encouraged the whole team to be strong, courageous, and confident. Thanks to the coaching staff's sound tactical plan, the team performed well and achieved the desired result. I feel extremely happy and proud of today's match.”

To promptly boost the morale of the teams, the President of the Vietnam Football Federation, Tran Quoc Tuan, was present in Thailand and personally watched the women's team's match. He shared that today was a special day as both the men's and women's teams were playing at the same time, and he was delighted that both had achieved their goals in the group stage.

Impact and the road ahead

The victory against Myanmar propelled the Vietnamese women's national team into the semi-finals as group winners. Their next opponent is Indonesia – a team considered to be of more modest strength. The fact that they quickly decided the outcome with attacking down the flanks and second-ball tactics shows that Vietnam possesses a diverse range of strategies, high organization, and sharp finishing – crucial factors when entering the knockout round.

In the context of immense pressure and a packed schedule, scoring two goals from "practice-based" moments sends a positive message: the team is improving not only in spirit but also in the level of confidence in implementing tactical ideas on the field.