The Philippine women’s national football team has made history, securing its first-ever gold medal at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games. This landmark achievement came after a dramatic final match against defending champions Vietnam, which saw the Philippines triumph in a penalty shootout with a score of 6-5, following a goalless draw after 120 minutes of intense play.
This victory marks a significant milestone for Philippine football, particularly for the women’s program, as it represents their inaugural gold medal at the regional multi-sport event. The final match was a closely contested affair, with both teams demonstrating strong defensive capabilities throughout regulation and extra time, resulting in a 0-0 scoreline that necessitated a penalty shootout to decide the champions.
However, the final was not without its share of controversy, particularly from the Vietnamese side. A disallowed goal for Vietnam in the 29th minute became a major point of contention and was heavily criticized after the match. Despite Vietnam controlling significant portions of the game, they were unable to convert their chances into legitimate goals on the scoreboard.
The controversial incident occurred when Vietnamese player Nguyen The Bich Thuy headed the ball into the net. Her position appeared to be in line with a Philippine defender at the moment of the header, leading to initial celebrations from the Vietnamese squad. However, the jubilant scene was abruptly cut short when Laotian line referee Chanthavong Phutsavan raised his flag, signaling an offside. Field referee Rebecca Anne Durcau subsequently upheld the decision, disallowing the goal.
Following the match, Vietnamese fans and media outlets widely circulated images and analyses suggesting that Bich Thuy was, in fact, not in an offside position. Arbitration experts from Vietnam further echoed these criticisms, specifically highlighting what they perceived as an error by line referee Chanthavong, suggesting a lack of focus on the kickers and the positioning of players on the offside line. This controversy added an extra layer of drama to an already historic final.
