After having a valid first-half goal disallowed, the Vietnam women’s team lost 5-6 on penalties to the Philippines in the football final at SEA Games 33. Photo: VNA  

Pride, bitterness and heartbreak swept through Vietnam as the women’s national football team were edged out on penalties by the Philippines after a gruelling match overshadowed by controversial officiating.

Vietnam appeared to have taken the lead through Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, only for the goal to be disallowed by the assistant referee.

After 120 scoreless minutes, the semi-final went to a penalty shootout, where Philippines goalkeeper Olivia McDaniel saved the final kick from Tran Thi Thu to seal victory.

The Golden Star Women Warriors had been chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive SEA Games gold medal, having powered past Indonesia 5-0 in the semi-final. The Philippines reached the last four after eliminating hosts and favourites Thailand on penalties.

Mai Duc Chung’s side had already faced the Philippines in the group stage, losing 1-0 despite dominating possession and creating the majority of chances over 90 minutes.

After that match, Chung raised concerns about refereeing standards, citing several decisions that went against his team, including a disputed handball. He also noted that the Philippines relied heavily on long balls and physical strength rather than midfield build-up.

Those patterns re-emerged in this encounter, as the Philippines largely bypassed midfield and sent direct passes forward, seeking to exploit aerial duels and physical mismatches. Vietnam’s defence, however, remained organised and composed, repeatedly neutralising the approach.

Vietnam looked sharper on the counterattack. In the 10th minute, Nguyen Thi Thanh Nha sprinted down the flank and delivered a low cross, but Ngan Thi Van Su could not reach the ball despite finding space.

With each chance, belief grew among supporters in the stands and at home. Vietnam controlled possession and played with greater composure during the opening half-hour.

The breakthrough seemed to arrive in the 28th minute. Van Su beat her marker and delivered a precise cross into the penalty area, where Bích Thùy rose to head the ball into the net. The finish from the 1.53m striker looked set to be one of the goals of the Games.

As referee Rebecca Durcau moved to indicate a goal and Vietnamese players began celebrating, Laotian assistant referee Chanthavong Phutsavan raised her flag for offside, and the goal was ruled out.

Thuy and her teammates stood stunned, while fans watching at home felt not just shock but anger, as replays showed Thuy was onside and no foul had occurred to justify Phutsavan’s offside decision.

Vietnam did not relent and the women in red piled on the pressure, with the Philippines relying only on dead-ball situations and long throws to use their physical advantage, exactly as Chung predicted.

Both teams defended strongly during the final minutes of regulation, with Vietnam pushed onto the back foot in the latter stages as stamina issues set in. A further 30 minutes of extra time passed with no change in the score and the match had to be decided on penalties.

All 11 takers from both teams successfully converted their attempts and Tran Thi Thu was the last to step up. Thu’s shot, however, lacked power and was saved by McDaniel. The Philippines celebrated as they became the first senior Filipino team to win a SEA Games football medal.

The defeat ended Vietnam’s SEA Games streak of four titles, but with an unprecedented eight wins from 10 finals, the Golden Star Women Warriors had little to regret and their performance made them champions in the hearts of fans.

An emotional Mai Duc Chung spoke at the post-match press conference, praising his team for their bravery despite the disappointment.

"I must say that the referees at the SEA Games women's tournament are not good," said Chung. "The Vietnam women's national football team today lost, but we lost with our heads held high."