Chonburi, 16 December 2025 – Ahead of the SEA Games 33 women’s football final at 19:30 on December 17, head coach Mai Duc Chung and his Philippine counterpart both voiced confidence and respect, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown.
At 19:30 on December 17, the Vietnam women’s national team will face the Philippines in the final of the women’s football event at SEA Games 33. Speaking before the decisive match, head coach Mai Duc Chung emphasized Vietnam’s readiness and determination, while acknowledging the strength and progress of their opponents.
“Vietnam fully deserve to be in the final,” coach Mai Duc Chung said. “This is the last match of SEA Games and we will give everything we have. The Philippines are a very strong team and we will do our best to win. I have great respect for the Philippines women’s team because they have improved with every match and even defeated the host nation. I know they are physically stronger and have better size than us, so the whole team will try to address our weaknesses and perform well tomorrow.”
Asked about the Philippines’ tactical variety, especially their ability to mix long balls, short passing, and ground play as shown in the semi-final win over Thailand, Mai Duc Chung added: “The Philippines keep improving and they are very well organized tactically. It will be interesting to face a team with so many ways of playing. But no matter how they play, we will adapt.”
The veteran coach stressed that Vietnam will not be burdened by psychological pressure in such a major match. Instead, his players will enter the final with strong spirit and determination, staying focused until the very last minute. In terms of personnel, he plans to combine experienced players with young faces who have proven themselves in recent matches, including the final group game against Myanmar and the semi-final.
Goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh also shared Vietnam’s confidence and preparation. “My teammates and I have prepared carefully and will follow the tactical plan from the coaching staff. We will focus on short passes, ground balls, and through passes to maximize our strengths. We learned lessons from the group-stage defeat, and we will try to minimize mistakes so they do not happen again tomorrow. How exactly we do that will be shown on the pitch.”
On the other side, Philippines head coach Mark Torcaso spoke with confidence and excitement about reaching the final. “I am very excited to face Vietnam. We will give everything in this final match. Our goal is to win the final, and we believe we can do it,” he said. “It feels unbelievable to reach the final and face the strongest team in the tournament. Our team has grown, developed, and transformed. In recent months, we have seen real change, with a strong mix of experienced players who have played over 100 matches and young players full of energy, some of whom are playing their first matches at this tournament.”
Torcaso added that the gold-medal match is not only about winning but also an important experience as the Philippines prepare for upcoming Asian Cup campaigns. “We are proud to be in the final and are really looking forward to it. It will be a very tough match because Vietnam are the defending champions. We respect them a lot, and because we beat them in the group stage, we know they will give everything against us. This time, we will be even harder to beat. There is only one match left, and we are extremely hungry. We will play for our country, for our fans, and try to bring out the best of what we have. We are ready.”
When asked whether the Philippines would continue to rely on aerial play or unveil new attacking ideas against Vietnam, Torcaso smiled and said: “We have our own way of playing. Of course, effectiveness is the most important thing. Tomorrow, we will prove everything.”
Philippines player Jael Marie Guy also shared her excitement ahead of the final. “I am really excited to face Vietnam. As part of the Philippines team, I will give my best in this final match. We take it one game at a time and have strong belief in each other. We went through a very tough 120-minute semi-final against the host, but we have recovered in time and are ready for the final. We believe everyone in the team will give everything to perform well against Vietnam.”
Thanh Tung
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