(Preview: Vietnam Women vs Thailand Women) - Both sides are determined to claim victory in the third-place match to show appreciation to their supporters.
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Although the Vietnam women's team was highly anticipated, they fell 1-2 to Australia in the semi-finals. Clearly, the squad led by coach Mai Duc Chung had their physical and fitness limitations fully exploited by their opponents. Despite their best efforts, all Vietnam could manage in that match was a goal by Bich Thuy to narrow the gap to 1-2.
However, the third-place playoff will be a different story as Vietnam faces Thailand. This time, there will be no significant differences in physique, stamina, or speed. Huynh Nhu and her teammates have much more experience and, with home advantage, are naturally seen as favorites.
Meanwhile, Thailand's youthful squad, enjoying the freedom of a third-place match, will surely play openly and give their all. This is expected to be an exciting, attacking contest between both teams, as there is less pressure regarding results.
Coach Mai Duc Chung also expressed his determination to achieve a positive result in the third-place match to thank the home fans: “After the semi-final, where we didn’t get the desired result, we encouraged each other to give everything we have to win the bronze medal. Thailand is an opponent we know well, so the whole team needs to play tightly and start strong to secure victory.”