Thailand edges Vietnam 2-1 in extra time for 6th straight title
Golden goal clincher silences home crowd
Nataporn Phanrit scored in the sixth minute of extra time yesterday as Thailand beat off a fierce challenge from Vietnam to win 2-1 and claim its sixth straight SEA Games soccer title.
It was a heartbreaking finish for Vietnam, which tied the score in the first minute of injury time, less than a minute after Le Quoc Vuong was sent off for his second yellow card.
Both teams had golden goal chances before Nataporn was set up by Datsakorn Thonglao inside the box and drilled a drive past goalkeeper Nguyen The Anh, who dropped on the field in tears as the boisterous sellout crowd of 40,000 at My Dinh stadium fell silent.
Scoring chances were few in the first half, with both defences challenging nearly every pass and limiting most of the hard-fought action to midfield. But with crisper passes, the Thais had the best of possession, and their persistence finally paid off in the 32nd minute.
Piyawat Thongmaen sent a pass in from the left side. It bounced through the legs of Vietnam's Le Duc Tuan, leaving the tournament's leading scorer, Sarayuth Chaikumdee, with only Anh to beat. Sarayuth had no trouble scoring his ninth goal in five matches to put Thailand ahead 1-0.
Vietnam became more aggressive, but several ill-advised shots and passes had its fans groaning.
The match appeared to be over when Vuong was sent off with time running out. But Phan Van Tai Em headed a pass to Pham Van Quyen right in front of the box and his shot slipped past Thai goalie Kosin Hatairatanasakul.
The crowd exploded in celebration, but it turned out to be short-lived. When Nataporn's shot found the net, the home fans watched dazed as the Thai players piled on top of each other.
The Bangkok Post - December 13, 2003.
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