Vietnam aiming for another historic title after World Cup qualification: 2022 SEA Games women's football preview, schedule, results, watch live and more
The Vietnamese women's football team made football history by qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Now they're after a record-breaking sixth SEA Games title. Here's a women's football preview and schedule for the 2021 event taking place in 2022.
Football
When the Vietnam women's football team secured their spot at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, it sparked wild celebrations across the country.
It was, after all, the first time a team from the nation - men's or women's - had made it to the biggest stage in the game.
On the streets of Hanoi, the memories are still fresh of the cheering and laughing and shouting, and the people thumping on the floorboards of the apartment above, and dancing in the streets outside.
It didn't hurt that Vietnam secured World Cup qualification on the final day of Tet, the Asian country's national holiday, and now they want even more to celebrate with the SEA Games in their back yard.
A year out from the World Cup they have a chance to prove once more that they are the regional powerhouse by retaining their title at the South East Asian Games 2021 taking place now in 2022 (After a postponement because of Covid-19).
It would be a historic sixth SEA Games title, no one else has won it that many times, and they can do it in front of their adoring fans.
But with more teams participating in an expanded competition, it'll be no Sunday stroll for the locals.
Read on for a preview, schedule and where you can watch across the world.
Women's football preview at the SEA Games 2022
There's no doubting who the favourites are, with the Vietnam women's team scaling new heights and inspiring women and girls across Asia.
In the Vietnamese capital the hosts will vie to retain the title they won three years ago in the Philippines, but the competition has seven teams and there are several capable underdogs who would love nothing more than to pull off a big upset.
The teams have been divided into two groups, with Vietnam joining the Philippines and Cambodia in Group A - there should have been four teams in this group but Indonesia pulled out after the draw had been made.
Group B consists of Thailand, Singapore, Laos, and Myanmar.
The top two teams will progress from each group to the semi-finals.
Vietnam coach Mai Duc Chung welcomed the extra competition, saying:
"I am glad more and more teams are participating in the SEA Games. This year teams like Cambodia have prepared well and this will help women's football develop strongly."
"Meanwhile traditional powerhouses Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines have their own target at the Games. They are all determined to take the highest result.
Thailand finished runners-up to Vietnam at the last edition of the SEA Games, and will be aiming to go one better this time around.
"Vietnam will need to play well every match," continued Chung, "beating all if we want to remain champions of the region."
All matches are free for supporters to attend at the Cam Pha Stadium in Quang Ninh Province, about 200km from Hanoi, and Covid restrictions have been eased.
SEA Games 2022 women's football schedule and results
With the competition already underway, here are the results and schedule for the women's football competition, all times are local kick-off times in Hanoi.
Group A
9 May 7pm: Philippines 5-0 Cambodia
11 May 7pm: Vietnam 2-1 Philippines
14 May 7pm: Cambodia - Vietnam
Group B
10 May 7pm: Thailand 3-0 Singapore
10 May 9:30pm: Myanmar 3-0 Laos
13 May 4pm: Laos 0-1 Singapore
13 May 7pm: Thailand 1-1 Myanmar
15 May 4pm: Singapore 0-1 Myanmar
15 May 7pm: Laos 0-5 Thailand
SEA Games 2021 women's football semi-finals
18 May
Thailand 3-0 Philippines
Vietnam 1-0 Myanmar
SEA Games 2021 in 2022 women's football final
21 May
Bronze medal match:
Philippines 2-1 Myanmar
Final:
Vietnam - Thailand (7pm)
Women's football at the SEA Games 2022 live streaming
Check the official 2022 SEA Games YouTube page for live streams for live streaming that's free to watch around the world, and the Facebook page for highlights and results.
You can also follow all the action, results, and real-time updates from our team on the ground in Hanoi on our live updates on Olympics.com from 13 May.