25th SEA Games, Laos

The Lao Women's Football Federation will organise a final test event for its players on November 18-19 before the SEA Games get underway in December.

After conceding several goals at the International Women's Football Tournament held in Quang Ninh , Vietnam , last month, the team will play against a club from Chonbury province, Thailand , as a final test before the games.

Assistant coach Mr Viengsavanh Sengchanh accepted yesterday that his team was not as strong compared with the Thai and Vietnamese teams because they didn't practise before the tournament.

“We had left early hoping to practise in Vietnam for 10 days, but unfortunately there was a big storm in Vietnam then so for those 10 days we just ate and slept. We returned home for five days but the tournament organisers invited us to participate in the event so we decided to go ahead even though the players weren't fit,” he said.

After coming back from the tournament, the team starting practising hard by using the experience of the loss, and now they are getting better and are ready to take on the Thai team this month.

The squad has been training since April this year, and the federation invited countries in the region to a tournament in Champassak province. The Lao women were runners-up in the event.

“We have 25 players who are strong and ready to play in the SEA Games; I think they will be able to hold their heads high next month,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

The test event on November 18-19 will be another trial run for the Chao Anouvong and Dongdok stadiums to see if they are ready for the SEA Games.

“Fans can go to cheer the team for free during the competition on both days,” he said.

Mr Viengsavanh also explained that after the match the federation will continue with training and will select the final 20 players for the SEA Games.

“We promise we'll get one of the three medals for Laos ,” he said.

The women's football matches will be played in a group comprising Malaysia , Thailand , Myanmar , Vietnam and Laos .

“ Vietnam has the strongest team but we are trying our best,” Mr Viengsavanh said.

The Lao women's football team was satisfied with their 3-2 loss to Thai side Lattana Bandits on September 7 in Champassak province.

“We are very happy with the score. Our players did their best against a team that is reigning SEA Games champions as well as holders of the Thai league title,” said Vice Chairman of the Lao Women's Football Committee, Ms Valy Vetsaphong

“After just two minutes they got away to a 1-0 lead, putting pressure on our team and the score increased to 2-0 in the first half. However, we really fought back well in the second half under the guidance of our coach from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea .”

The Lao team managed to draw level at 2-2 in the second half. “Unluckily, the Lattana Bandits scored in injury time to win 3-2.”

“They scored with just 35 seconds remaining in the match. However, the match shows our team has improved and there are still areas we can progress in,” Ms Valy said.

In other matches at the friendship tournament held from September 5-9 Laos beat Bangkok Thonburi 6-1 and Lattana Bandits defeated the Malaysian women's football team 13-0. In the second round of matches Malaysia defeated Bangkok Thonburi 4-0 while the Lattana Bandits beat Laos .

The Lao national team had lost to the Lattana Bandits 13-1 and 8-0 in their previous two meetings.

“On September 9 we will play Malaysia and believe we can defeat them as we have in the past. We are yet to decide if we will play a full strength team or rest some players,” said Ms Valy.

Laos defeated Malaysia 3-1 when they last met at the Asian Football Federation Competition in Vietnam last year.

Women's football was officially established in Laos at the end of 2007, since when the team has attended various regional competitions.

“The team has won matches in Singapore , Malaysia and Indonesia and drawn matches in the Philippines . At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand they got through to the semi-finals, on only our first appearance in the SEA Games,” Ms Valy said.

The team is ranked fifth in South East Asia, 15th in Asia and 74th in the world.



By Souknilundon Southivongnorath

Encouraging women's involvement in soccer for physical, mental and social health is the aim of the FIFA Women's Football Com-Unity programme.

FIFA together with Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) held a seminar in Vientiane yesterday to promote women's football.

The interactive seminar showcased women's football experiences to local participants including representatives of government, football federations, international organisations and the sports committee.

Regional FIFA officials and participants shared insights on methods to improve all levels of Lao women's football.

LNSC Vice President Boualan Sripanya said the seminar dealt with preparations for the 25th SEA Games to be held in December, particularly as they relate to the women's game.

“Lao women's football is still missing some techniques and experience so this seminar will help them to improve as we prepare to host the games,” he said.

The seminar will run for three days and include presentations by FIFA members on women's football in the region and media discussions on how to improve coverage of women's football.

Organisers of the seminar also discussed the organisation of football friendlies, including the upcoming under-16 women's match between Laos and Cambodia on May 22.

FIFA Women's Football Committee and FIFA Instructor Ms Keri Michelle Cox said Laos boasted a good ranking for its women's football teams in the Asean region and FIFA could see the potential of the game.

“We really hope participants will demonstrate the potential of women's football during the three days of the seminar,” she said.

Women's football was officially established in Laos at the end of 2007, and the national team has attended various regional competitions since then.

There are 25 players in the U-16 squad and 30 at the national level.

Apart from the capital, the players hail from Khammuan, Xayaboury, Vientiane , Champassak and Savannakhet provinces.

Most come from poor families and want to make the most of this opportunity to make their name in football in the future.

Lao Women's Football Committee Vice Chairman Ms Valy Vetsaphong said the team had won matches in Singapore , Malaysia and Indonesia and drawn in the Philippines .

At the 24th SEA Games in Thailand they got through to the semi-finals on only their first appearance at the meet.

The team is ranked fifth in South East Asia, 15th in Asia and 74th in the world.

“ Laos is the first country in the world to which FIFA has donated a dormitory for our players because of the potential FIFA sees in our game,” she said.

The committee is awaiting the arrival of a coach from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to train the 30-strong women's squad before their departure for training in Vietnam in June.

By Souknilundon Southivongnorath
Vientianetimes

A coach from the Republic of Korea will train the national Lao women's football team this month as part of the preparations for the 25th SEA Games to be held in Vientiane in December.

The team is currently training at the Sports Training Centre at Huayhong village in Chanthabouly district under the instruction of Mr Viengsavan Sengchan.

The team is ranked fifth in South East Asia, 15th in Asia and 74th in the world.

The Korean coach will arrive in Vientiane next week and is the first Korean to guide the team.

Thailand , Vietnam and Myanmar are expected to provide strong competition for the team at the upcoming games.

The women's team was unable to win a medal at the Asian Football Confederation in Vietnam last year, where they were coached by Mr Volker Hofferbert from Germany .

Mr Hofferbert believes the team is capable of reaching the semi-finals of the games as many of the players have SEA Games experience.

He said the national team trained hard but lacked experience at the international level. At the last games only six countries competed in the women's football event but this year more will do so, making it tougher for the team to claim a medal in front of their home fans.

Mr Hofferbert is currently training the national under-16 female football team in the run-up to the Asean Football Federation Championships in Myanmar in October.

Nine countries will compete in the championships and the Lao team will face Cambodia in a friendly match at the Huayhong village football stadium next week.

Mr Hofferbert said both teams only came into existence this year and it will be a close match.

The Cambodian team is sponsored by several non-government organisations, while the Lao team is still searching for more sponsors.

Mr Hofferbert said the players in the under-16 team are future prospects for the senior team at the 26th SEA Games.

The players in the junior squad come from Vientiane and Xayaboury province.


By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes