The Thai team proved its worth as one of the favourites after trouncing the Indonesian squad 10-1 in a Group A game of the ASEAN Football Federation Women's Championship. — Photo vff

HCM CITY (VNS) — The Thai team proved its worth as one of the favourites after trouncing the Indonesian squad 10-1 in a Group A game of the ASEAN Football Federation Women's Championship, the second match played yesterday, in HCM City.

Eager to make up for their disappointing first game, in which they lost 3-0 to the Australian Under-20 side, the Thais played their best and scored their first goal merely five minutes into the game, with Nisa Romyen heading a pass from Anootsara Maijarern into the net.

Indonesia then tightened up its defence to hold Thailand for long periods and denied the players any chance to double their advantage.

It was not until the half hour mark that the Indonesian defence collapsed under tremendous pressure, with Maijarern scoring after a pass from Romyen.

Thailand secured a comfortable 5-0 advantage in the first half, with one goal by Maijarern and two by Romyen.

The champions of the SEA Games kept the pressure mounting in the second half, with Pikul Khueanpet, Wilaiporn Boothduang, Alisa Rukinij and Naphat Seesraum scoring for the team.

Indonesian player Erma Karafir managed to score the sole goal for the team in the 82nd minute, before Orathai Srimanee concluded things with the last goal of the game three minutes to the final whistle.

In the early match, a single shot fired by team captain Kobie Ann Ferguson was the only act that separated the Australian Under-20 squad from Laos, as the former bagged its second win at the Thong Nhat Stadium.

With this victory, the Australian team is firmly in the driver's seat in the group, with the highest figure of six points from the two matches and a place in the semi-finals already guaranteed.

A late strike from Huynh Nhu gave Viet Nam a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Myanmar in a top billing clash in Group B on Saturday.

With several thousand people cheering the team on from the stands, the host started out strongly as they pressed Myanmar hard into their own half.

In the sixth minute, a through pass from Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet was picked up by Do Thi Yen, who ran past two Myanmar defenders before slotting the ball past keeper Mya Phu Ngon.

Undeterred, Myanmar composed its frontline, after which it did not take them long to score the equaliser in the 13th minute when Khin Moe Wai took advantage of a defensive mistake and shot from a close range.

Once again, Myanmar proved that they are strong with set pieces, when Naw Arlo Wer Phaw made use of yet another poor clearance from the Vietnamese backline to give them the lead for the first time in the match.

At the half hour mark, a free kick by Nguyet made sure that the teams end the first half on equal terms.

Nhu picked up a good 84th-minute cross from Bui Thuy An that brought the crowd to its feet.

Speaking at the post-match briefing, coach of the Vietnamese team Norimatsu Takashi appreciated his players' efforts, but said that they had suffered the two goals from free-kick situations as they had not worked hard enough to prevent them.

However, he admitted that the squad had overcome its first challenge even though there was still room for improvement.

It was also the first test for the Japanese coach, who set a target of winning the tournament.

Today, Viet Nam will face Malaysia, while Myanmar will play against the Philippines. — Agencies