Viet Nam’s women’s football team finished their Asian Games 2014
campaign in fourth place after losing 3-0 to South Korea in the
bronze-medal match at the Incheon Football Stadium, Incheon city, South
Korea.
All three goals were scored in the second half after a goalless first
half. Midfielder Kwon Hahnul opened the scoring with a long-distance
shot from outside the penalty box after 55 minutes.
Jung Seolbin doubled the advantage with a close-range tap-in
following Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh’s failure to get a
grip on the ball before midfielder Park Heeyoung sealed the match with
another close-range finish given away by another mistake from Trinh.
Despite the huge gap seen after losses in the semi-finals and the
bronze-medal match, the 17th Asian Games in South Korea was still a
landmark for the country given that this was the first time Viet Nam had
a football team reaching the last stage at a continental level.
For South Koreans, the bronze medal may bring some degree of
consolation to fans but the team must feel some disappointment at
failing to go to the final match and claim their first gold medal on
home soil.
North Korea and Japan, however, completely deserve to be finalists because of their capacity and aspirations.
Trinh was the centre of attention in the semi-final match following
her brilliant performance. She did equally well in the first half
against the hosts, making some crucial saves to keep the first half
goalless, with Viet Nam contained to their own half throughout.
Viet Nam had only one shot at the goal in the first 45 minutes when
defender Nguyen Thi Tuyet Dung dispossessed Jeon Gaeul nearly to the
six-yard box and aimed her shot to the high corner of the net, but
keeper Jun Minkyng was alert and diverted the ball into a corner.
Trinh’s weakness in handling long-distance shots, which cost Viet Nam
the first goal in the semi-final match against Japan, was exposed again
in the second half yesterday, which culminated in giving away two goals
to the host team.
The increasingly frustrated team found it hard to break the
Vietnamese side, but Hahnul broke the deadlock when she collected a pass
from her teammates 20m from the goal and moved the ball by one touch
before firing a low shot from 18m out. The ball flew so quickly to the
far corner of the net that Trinh, despite plunging down quickly, failed
to stop it.
While Trinh should not be blamed for the opening goal, the second
goal just two minutes later clearly stemmed from her fault as she failed
to take a grip on a shot from the edge of the penalty area and Jung was
on hand to rattle the roof of the net.
The third goal for the home team happened in similar style. It began
with the experienced Vietnamese keeper letting the ball slip out of her
hand following a long cross into the goalmouth by the South Koreans.
Then Park pounced in when the ball fell to her part.
Viet Nam were able to venture forwards later in the match when the
host team slowed their game but a lack of power, the main factor
preventing Vietnamese football players from competing at the highest
level, was once again visible.
In other news, North Korea upset defending champions Japan 3-1 to win
Asian Games gold in the women’s football yesterday, avenging their loss
in the final four years ago.
Kim Myun-Mi, captain Ra Un-Sim and Ho Un-Byol scored as Asian Cup holders Japan were totally outplayed by North Korea.
VNS/VNN