Warriors and Heat do Australia proud
It was an experience of a lifetime and a tournament both the Dural Warriors Women side and East Coast Heat Men team will ever forget, as the AFF Bangkok Futsal Club Championship came to a close on Sunday November 29th.
It was especially a proud moment for the Dural Warriors who finished up finalists as they fell out on the last hurdle when they were defeated by heavy Vietnamese favourites, Thai Son Nam, 3-1 at the Bangkok Arena in Nong Chok.
The Ho Chi Minh-based team, who did not drop a game in the group stage, were full of gusto as they welcomed the return of the nippy Nguyen Thi Thanh back to the fold after suffering a knock in her last game.
But it was to be Dural who took the early reins to force Thai Son Nam on the back pedal as they were pressed very much into their own half in the opening quarter.
With the lanky Tess Olsen a little off colour and the over reliance on Sarah Yatim, chances were far and in between as both teams had to be content with a scoreless deadlock at the half.
Into the second half and it was Thai Son Nam who went ahead in the 24th minute when Trinh Ngoc Hoa slotted the ball in between the legs of keeper Tani Rosekelly, who have had a great game thus far.
Thai Thi Thao then doubled the advantage for Thai Son Nam with the second goal in the 33rd minute as Dural pulled a goal back through Yatim five minutes later.
But with a minute left on the clock, Vo Thi Ngan Giang rounded off the fine afternoon for Thai Son Nam’s to win their second title in two years.
It was a fantastic display by the Warriors however as they finished second in their group winning three matches and losing just the one.
The East Coast Heat Men’s outfit managed a third place finish in the final standings as they secured one victory, one draw and two losses in what was an eye-opening tournament for the squad.
In a match for third and fourth spot, the team went down 4-2 to Myanmar outfit MIC FC while home side Thaiport took out the Men’s championship with a crushing 5-0 victory over Felda United.
