YANGON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar women's soccer team will compete in the
2008 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) women soccer championship in
Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, in October, according to the Myanmar Football
Federation (MFF) Sunday.
The team, which is the defending champion of the tournament, will be camped
for training later this month for the fourth ASEAN women soccer championship
slated for October 6-20, the MFF said.
Myanmar will be in Group A along with Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and host
Vietnam, while Group B comprises newcomers Australia, the Philippines, Singapore
and last year's runners-up Thailand. The Myanmar team's arch rival in the
group-stage is the Vietnamese women's soccer team, it added.
Myanmar women team crowned in the 2007 ASEAN Championship women's soccer
tournament here in September last year after beating Thailand 5-2 with the
penalty shoot-outs in the final.
Eight national women's soccer teams from the ASEAN -- Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- took part
in the third ASEAN Championship women soccer tournament on Sept. 6-15, which is
hosted by Myanmar for the first time.
Myanmar, also triumphed in the first ASEAN Championship tournament in
Vietnam in October 2004 by defeating hosts in the final with penalty shoot-outs.
However, Myanmar lost to Thailand 3-2, Chinese Taipei 3-0 and host Vietnam
1-0 respectively in the second ASEAN Championship tournament in Vietnam in May
2006 featuring four teams -- Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the invited Chinese
Taipei.
Meanwhile, the Myanmar women soccer team secured third place in the 24th
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in December last year after losing 2-1 to Vietnam in
the semi-finals and beating Laos 5-0 in the third place play-off.
Myanmar disqualified for the final round of the 2008 Asian Cup women's
football tournament, beating Iran 2-1 and losing Chinese Taipei and Vietnam 3-0
and 1-0 respectively in the second round qualifier in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
on March 24-28.
