Optimism high for Malditas in semis clash vs Vietnam

Vietnam, a team that has stamped its class on the Philippines over the past decade, stands in the way of the Malditas’ bid of reaching the finals of the AFF Women’s Championships on Sunday in Chonburi, Thailand.

But national women’s coach Let Dimzon insists confidence within the team is at an all-time high after the Filipinos advanced to the semifinals for the first time in tournament history following a 4-0 beating of Singapore last Friday.

Dimzon believes the squad can pull off an upset, even if the unbeaten Vietnamese have won six times over the Philippines in the past decade.

“If we control the direct play of Vietnam, we are in a good spot for the finals,” said Dimzon, who noted the improvement of her team which she started handling in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.

Except for the 2-4 loss to Thailand, the Malditas have been terrific in the tournament, besting Malaysia, Timor Leste and Singapore by scoring 14 goals.

“I’m very happy and proud for the performance of the team from the first game down to the last game of the group stage,” said Dimzon. “Our players fought hard, they well manage the game and followed the plan, though there still more aspect to improve on. We need to strengthen both attacking and defending when we face Vietnam.”

Dimzon pointed to the players’ familiarity with her and the system she has put in as one of the keys to their success in the tournament.