Vietnam head coach Akira Ijiri chose the 5-4-1 formation for Vietnam to limit the attacks from the flanks from Australia, whose players are physically superior and stronger in aerial duels. Vietnam got the first chance in the 23rd minute when Pham Hai Yen made a long-range shot but could not beat the Australia keeper.
When the game was going well for Vietnam, their defense made a mistake in an aerial duel and Sienna Saveska tapped it in to break the tie for Australia.
Eight minutes into the second half, the Vietnam defenders repeated their mistake and let Mary Stanic-Floody have enough time to control the ball before finishing cleanly to defeat keeper Nguyen Phuong Thao.
After that, Vietnam lost their composure in the attacks and their stamina gradually ran out, while Australia intentionally slowed down to protect their lead.
The game ended with a 2-0 win for Australia and they were crowned U18 champions of Southeast Asia. Australia, which joined the tournament for the first time, won all of their five matches, scored 17 goals and only conceded once.
Vietnam finished as the runners-up and they scored the most goals in the tournament, 23.
The U18 Women’s AFF Championship, which was in its second year, is considered a warm-up tournament for teams in the region before the 2023 U19 Women’s Asian Cup.
VnExpress News The News Gateway of Vietnam
