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After opening their SEA Games campaign on home soil with a 1-1 draw against Myanmar , the 2007 bronze medallists, the Lao women's squad is now looking to improve in their match against defending champions Thailand .

Facing Thailand this afternoon could be too early for Laos , but they are hoping the home advantage will spur them on to a good result.

Assistant Coach Viengsavanh Sengchanh said “The Thai side is another strong rival for us because they are the reigning gold medallists from the last SEA Games.”

“But we still have a 50:50 chance to do well in this match.”

“To know if we have a chance to get a medal we have to see the result of the first game today between Myanmar and Vietnam , then we have to see how we go.

“Our players are all fit and ready for the game today.”

The first match today will begin at 1:30pm between Myanmar and Vietnam , followed by Laos against Thailand at 3:45pm. Both matches will be played at the National University Stadium.

In the men's event, Timor Leste plays Thailand at 3pm and Cambodia takes on Malaysia , with both matches at the Chao Anouvong Stadium.

Both men's and women's football teams will play their first matches against Myanmar , which has proved in past SEA Games competitions to be a formidable opponent.

The matches will take place on December 3 and 5 at the National University of Laos stadium and the National Stadium.

Lao Men's Football Team Manager Viphet Sihachakr said yesterday he thought his team would play five matches in the tournament because the players were well prepared both in terms of training and fitness.

“ Myanmar is a strong SEA Games team. They were runners-up at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007 but that's in the past. Today I believe our athletes can do better than before due to our experience from the many test matches we played,” he said.

Lao footballers lost many tournaments in the run-up to the 25th SEA Games. But coaches and team assistants have worked hard to improve the players' skills and the team manager has confirmed the team's performance is already 30 percent better since their last match.

“One thing we have to remember is that playing at home we have an advantage because our supporters will be cheering us on, just as they did at the 4-Nations Football Tournament. I was delighted to see so many Lao fans in the stadium all shouting for us. This is just great for our players,” Mr Viphet said.

He asked football fans to continue to cheer on the players, saying their support would make them stronger and better able to fight for their country.

Lao hopes are also riding with the women's football team.

Lao Women's Football Team Manager Ms Valy Vessaphong said she had asked Myanmar to send a team for a friendly game in Laos before the SEA Games but they declined, saying they were too busy.

“This will be a big match because we've never met them since we lost to them 0-6 at the 24th SEA Games. But now things are different. Our players have improved and are ready for their first match,” Ms Valy said.

She said Myanmar might not be aware of how much the Lao team had improved and Laos also didn't know, but the match would be the true testing ground.

After today's match against Myanmar , the women's team will play Thailand on December 8, Malaysia on December 11 and Vietnam on December 13. December 16 will be the final day of the tournament.

Matches will take place at the National University of Laos and the Chao Anouvong Stadium.

The men's football team begins its campaign tomorrow against Myanmar and will face Indonesia on December 7 and Singapore on December 10 at the National Stadium and Chao Anouvong Stadium.



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Vientianetimes

The schedule of Women football match of the 25th SEA Games in Laos is as follow:

2/12/2009 Arrival of all football teams
3/12/2009 Meeting of all team managers
4/12/2009 Malaysia vs Thailand (13:30) @ National University of Laos
Laos vs Myanmar (14:45) @ National University of Laos
6/12/2009 Thailand vs Myanmar (13:30) National University of Laos
Malaysia vs Vietnam (14:45) National University of Laos
8/12/2009 Myanmar vs Vietnam (13:30) National University of Laos
Laos vs Thailand (14:45) National University of Laos
11/12/2009 Laos vs Malaysia (13:30) National University of Laos
Thailand vs Vietnam (14:45) National University of Laos
13/12/2009 Laos vs Vietnam (15:40) Chaoanu stadium
Malaysia vs Myanmar (18:00) Chaoanu Stadium
16/12/2009 Final (16:00) Chaoanou stadium

The Lao Women's Football Federation will organise a final test event for its players on November 18-19 before the SEA Games get underway in December.

After conceding several goals at the International Women's Football Tournament held in Quang Ninh , Vietnam , last month, the team will play against a club from Chonbury province, Thailand , as a final test before the games.

Assistant coach Mr Viengsavanh Sengchanh accepted yesterday that his team was not as strong compared with the Thai and Vietnamese teams because they didn't practise before the tournament.

“We had left early hoping to practise in Vietnam for 10 days, but unfortunately there was a big storm in Vietnam then so for those 10 days we just ate and slept. We returned home for five days but the tournament organisers invited us to participate in the event so we decided to go ahead even though the players weren't fit,” he said.

After coming back from the tournament, the team starting practising hard by using the experience of the loss, and now they are getting better and are ready to take on the Thai team this month.

The squad has been training since April this year, and the federation invited countries in the region to a tournament in Champassak province. The Lao women were runners-up in the event.

“We have 25 players who are strong and ready to play in the SEA Games; I think they will be able to hold their heads high next month,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

The test event on November 18-19 will be another trial run for the Chao Anouvong and Dongdok stadiums to see if they are ready for the SEA Games.

“Fans can go to cheer the team for free during the competition on both days,” he said.

Mr Viengsavanh also explained that after the match the federation will continue with training and will select the final 20 players for the SEA Games.

“We promise we'll get one of the three medals for Laos ,” he said.

The women's football matches will be played in a group comprising Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , Vietnam and Laos .

“ Vietnam has the strongest team but we are trying our best,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes