The match opened with high intensity as both sides pushed forward. Thailand threatened early, with Pichayatida forcing Vietnamese goalkeeper Kim Thanh into a save in just the second minute. Viet Nam responded with steady pressure and finally broke through at the end of the first half, when Hai Yen finished to make it 1-0 in the 45th minute.
In the 65th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Thailand, Huynh Nhu scored after two consecutive attempts, doubling the lead to 2-0 for Vietnam. This was the first goal of the tournament for the 34-year-old captain. Only three minutes later, Bich Thuy extended the lead to 3-0 with a powerful strike from Nguyen Thi Van’s pass.
Wyrunya pulled one back for Thailand in the 87th minute but it was too late to spark a comeback.
The result capped a strong campaign for coach Mai Duc Chung’s squad, who once again proved their dominance over their regional rivals and closed the tournament with a well-deserved bronze medal on home turf.
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