Myanmar poised to defend title at ASEAN women football championship

YANGON, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar women's football team will compete in the 2008 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) women football 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 football 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 football team, it added.

Myanmar women team crowned in the 2007 ASEAN Championship women's football tournament here in September last year after beating Thailand 5-2 with the penalty shoot-outs in the final.

Eight national women's football teams from the ASEAN -- Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- took part in the third ASEAN Championship women football 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 football 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.