After a whirlwind six days, the semifinals of the ASEAN Women’s Championship — officially known as the ASEAN MSIG Serenity Cup — are almost here.
Just last Wednesday, the tournament kicked off with eight teams — Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Australia U-23, Cambodia and Timor-Leste — having high hopes of establishing themselves as the latest queens of Southeast Asian football.
In a blink of an eye, eight games have been played and it is almost time for the business end of the tournament.
The final round of group stage action is will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday and, while Group A’s top two is already set in stone, Group B remains wide open.
Here, we look at how each team has qualified — and can still qualify — for the final four.
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Group tiebreakers
- Group points
- Points from game(s) between the tied teams
- Goal difference from game(s) between the tied teams
- Goals scored from game(s) between the tied teams
- If more than two teams were tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams were still tied, all head-to-head criteria above were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams
- Overall group goal difference
- Overall group goals scored
- If only two teams are level and have played each other in the final group game, a penalty shootout determines places
- Disciplinary points (Yellow card: -1 point; indirect red card: -3 points; direct red card: -3 points)
- Drawing of lots
GROUP A
Wednesday, Aug. 6
Thailand 7-0 Indonesia
Vietnam 6-0 Cambodia
Saturday, Aug. 9
Cambodia 0-7 Thailand
Indonesia 0-7 Vietnam
Tuesday, Aug. 12
Vietnam vs. Thailand
Indonesia vs. Cambodia
With just two games played and one to spare, Thailand and Vietnam are safely through to the semis.
Both have been dominant so far with Thailand racking up back-to-back 7-0 victories, while Vietnam have racked up just one less goal on 13 while having conceded none as well.
It should come as no surprise they have emerged as the frontrunners in Group A given the Thais are the tournament’s record four-time champions, while Vietnam are the next most-successful team with three titles to their names.
While Thailand have been driven by a young and exciting core, with just one player in their squad above the age of 23, Vietnam are looking formidable for their vast experience — boasting two centurions and seven other players with over 50 caps, including several who have featured at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The final round of Group A matches will be anything but dead rubbers given top spot — and a potentially favourable semifinal draw — is up for grabs when Thailand and Vietnam face off on Tuesday, while Indonesia and Cambodia have a chance to avoid going the entire campaign without a point — or even a goal — and head home on a high.
GROUP B
Thursday, Aug. 7
Myanmar 2-1 Australia U-23
Philippines 7-0 Timor-Leste
Sunday, Aug. 10
Timor-Leste 0-3 Myanmar
Australia U-23 1-0 Philippines
Wednesday, Aug. 13
Philippines vs. Myanmar
Australia U-23 vs. Timor-Leste
When Myanmar’s opening 2-1 win over Australia U-23 was followed by Philippines claiming an emphatic 7-0 triumph over Timor-Leste, Group B initially looked like it was going be straightforward — and understandably so, given the two victors from the opening action were the top seeds.
But on Sunday, as Australia U-23 grabbed a surprise victory over defending champions Philippines, there is now everything to play for.
As the only team in Group B with a perfect record so far, Myanmar have the luxury of going into their next game against the Filipinas knowing a draw would be enough to see them advance in top spot.
Nonetheless, a Myanmar defeat — coupled with an expected Australia U-23 win over the Timorese — would result in a three-way tie at the summit, with it then going down to head-to-head record — which would be head-to-head goal difference given they would all have a victory each against one another — to decide which two progress.
Timor-Leste are not completely out of it either, but they will require a miracle.
Should they pull off an unlikely win over Australia U-23, and Myanmar beat Philippines, the three-way tie would then be for second spot — and it would once again go down to head-to-head goal difference.
Given Timor-Leste already have a 16-goal differential to make up, the odds are firmly stacked against them.
