Nobody can grudge an experienced Vietnam of their 2-1 win, but India will feel terribly disappointed of not securing at least a point, having conceded the winner in the fourth minute of second half extra time in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup group opener at the Perth Rectangular Stadium on Wednesday.
Ngan Thi Van Su was at the heart of Vietnam’s domination, scoring both goals, once in either half. India believed they had salvaged an important point after Sanfida Nongrum came off the bench to draw level, but a late strike undid all efforts.
“We are feeling bad about the goal (conceded in extra time) but we gave our 100%,” Sanfida, the first player from Meghalaya to play for the national team and score on debut, said after the game.
“We learned so much from this game. (It showed) we have to give our best and keep fighting till the end. ”
The Indian team could hardly be faulted for effort. Qualifying for the Asian Cup on merit for the first time in 23 years, the team coached by Costa Rican Amelia Valverde was outplayed in the first half as Vietnam showed why it’s a regular at Asian Cups and made appearances at the World Cup.
In the second half, however, a double substitution gave India momentum and a way back into the game with Sanfida scoring the equaliser, seven minutes after taking the field.
Vietnam were hard to catch in the first half as they pressed high and hardly gave India time on the ball. It was Van Su who first fired wide from distance and then Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy beat the offside trap before rattling the woodwork from distance.
Vietnam’s sustained pressure bore fruit at the half an hour mark after India failed to deal with Thai Thi Thao’s cross into the box, allowing Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy to tee-up Van Su to finish with a curling effort over goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu.
Vietnam had a scrappy goal disallowed for offside at the beginning of the first half, a moment that stopped India from being deflated. Two half-time substitutes, young Sanfida and Rimpa Haldar, then turned the match on its head as Rimpa pressed the opponent, forcing a hurried back pass which Sanfida intercepted in the 52nd minute and calmly lifted the ball past Vietnam the keeper.
India then enjoyed a couple of chances with Manisha Kalyan, moved centrally from the wing, combining well with Sanfida and Pyari Xaxa before the effort was pushed for a corner. From the resultant corner, Manisha – who now plies her trade in South America – tried an Olimpico, only for the defenders to somehow keep the ball out at the near post.
India goalkeeper Panthoi had a good game and kept India in the hunt for a point with a brilliant save to deny Van Su. The Vietnam star, however, was not to be denied in the fourth minute of added time as she capitalised after India failed to clear Vu Thi Hoa’s long cross, with the midfielder producing a sublime finish to seal the win.
