Vietnam left empty handed at the ASEAN Football Federation Futsal Championship, which closed in HCM City yesterday.

Phung Trong Luan of Vietnam (left) was surrounded by Myanmar players during their AFF Futsal Championship’s third-place playoff. — Photo courtesy of VFF

The hosts were defeated 3-4 by Myanmar in the third-place play-off match, after the penalty shoot-out at Phú Thọ Gymnasium.

Thailand beat Malaysia 4-3 to defend their title in the final later. 

The bronze-medal game had ended 2-2 after the official time, forcing the two sides to kick penalty shots, in which Vietnamese Nguyen Minh Trí and Hoang Danh Phat wasted their chances, while Myanmar missed only one by Pyae Phyo Maung.

It was sweet revenge for the visitors, who lost 0-3 to Vietnam in the group round match some days ago.

It seemed like the shocking defeat of 1-5 to Malaysia in the semi-finals on Wednesday was still affecting the Vietnamese side that played without their captain, Văn Vũ, and another player, Quốc Hưng. Vũ and Hưng got red cards in the match.

Playing under pressure to perform once again, the hosts cracked the opener after 10 minutes, when Phùng Trọng Luân pounced on a rebounder.

Danh Phát increased the score at the 26th minute, when he drove in between Myanmar keeper Kyaw Htet Aung.

This situation forced Myanmar to move to a power play, with Naing Ye Kyaw providing the extra man, and that seemed to turn the game on its head when they duly scored their first goal of the game off Kyaw Soe Moe’s one timer from a corner.

And with four minutes left on the clock, Nyein Min Soe flicked the ball in from a freekick to level the result.

“We lost to Vietnam in the group stage, and I found that we made some mistakes in the power play. So yesterday, I studied the power play for long periods and the result is what you see today,” said Myanmar head coach Htay Myint on aseanfootball.org.

“I think that the key to the win today is the fact that I have known the players for several years. So I know the quality I have in the team, and who can play where and whether they can cope with which situation,” noted Htay Myint.

On the other side, coach Miguel Rodrigo of Vietnam said: “Today, we played like a headless chicken. They were running with no direction or intention. And they were not following instruction.

“Myanmar deserved to win today. We could not control the match in the closing stages. We failed, I failed and I have to say sorry to the fans and supporters for the sorry image of the national team now.” — VNS