It’s win or bust for Malditas vs Vietnam

MANDALAY—The Philippine Malditas try to stay in the hunt for a semifinal spot Friday when they battle reigning champion Vietnam in women’s football competition of the 27th Southeast Asian Games at Mandalar Thiri Stadium in Mandalay.

Beaten 0-2 by host Burma (Myanmar) Tuesday, the Malditas are left with no recourse but to hurdle the heavily favored Vietnamese  in the 4 p.m. (5:30 p.m. in Manila) match.

Only a victory over Vietnam, coupled by either a draw or a loss by Vietnam against Burma on Sunday, will boost the Malditas, late additions to the PH delegation,  to the semifinals. A triple tie in the group will be broken by goal difference.

The Malditas lost to the Burmese for the third time in two years and team officials blamed the squad’s inability to deal with the pressure of playing before a hostile crowd and several questionable calls by the referee as reasons for the defeat.

There’s little room for error for the Malditas as the  Vietnamese are ranked over 40 places higher than them.

“Vietnam plays more like Burma and Thailand,” said Malditas’ team manager Filbert Alquiros.  “They have the same style and employ the same strategies. But I think it will be an even match. The girls are in high spirits.”