SEA Games 33 Women’s Football Final: Proving Vietnam’s Resilience

This is a rematch between the top two teams from Group B in women’s football. In the second group stage match, Vietnam lost to the Philippines 0-1. That game showed that the Philippines would be a formidable rival for Coach Mai Đức Chung’s squad. Not only do they have superior physicality and strength, but the Philippines also play with a modern tactical approach.

The Vietnam women's football team heads into the final buoyed by confidence following their 5-0 semifinal win over Indonesia.

However, the earlier loss to the Philippines in the group stage remains a significant challenge that Vietnam must overcome to successfully defend their title.

Recently, the Philippines have consistently been a tough opponent for Coach Mai Đức Chung’s team. On July 15, 2022, Vietnam lost 0-4 to the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Championship semifinals. On May 9, 2023, Vietnam again fell 1-2 to the Philippines in the SEA Games 32 group stage, although Vietnam later won gold while the Philippines were eliminated early.

Most recently, on December 8, 2025, in the SEA Games 33 group stage, Vietnam lost to the Philippines at the 90+4 minute mark, finishing 0-1.

Three consecutive losses, three different ways to lose. But they all reflect one reality: the Philippines is no longer an opponent Vietnam can easily defeat as in the past.

In total, the two teams have met 13 times, with Vietnam winning 10 matches, but all those victories were in the past. Over the last three years, in their three encounters, Vietnam has lost every time.

The Philippines women’s team once suffered a 0-7 defeat to Vietnam at SEA Games 2013 and was considered a regional underdog. However, they have quietly improved: becoming more disciplined in defense, more patient, and more clinical in seizing opportunities. Notably, Philippine football, especially women’s football, has grown stronger through a naturalization strategy.

The Philippines team, alongside Vietnam, qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, demonstrating the rise of Philippine football. This growth is no accident or surprise but the result of a process where every defeat laid a foundation for resilience—a quality clearly shown at SEA Games 33.

Along with their group stage win over Vietnam, the Philippines’ semifinal victory over host Thailand (4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes) showcased their fighting spirit, refusal to surrender, and excellent fitness—key strengths that make them a formidable team.

Not Thailand or Myanmar, but the Philippines is the team Vietnam’s women’s team respects the most at SEA Games 33. Coach Mai Đức Chung has repeatedly stated that Vietnam’s biggest disadvantage is their smaller stature and stamina, while the Philippines, through their naturalization policy, have built a physically stronger women’s team.

In the SEA Games arena, the Vietnam women’s team has been a real powerhouse. From 2001 to 2023 (with no women’s football held in 1999, 2011, 2015), Vietnam appeared in 10 finals and won 8 titles, including a record-breaking four consecutive championships from 2017 to 2023, surpassing Thailand’s previous record of three straight titles (1985, 1995, 1997 – women’s football was not held from 1987 to 1993).

This is the first time the Philippines have reached the women’s football final. For them, the silver medal is their best achievement so far. They are not burdened by the pressure to win; they step onto the field with the relaxed mindset of a team with “nothing to lose.” This difference makes the Philippines more dangerous than ever.

Entering their 11th SEA Games final in 2025 as reigning champions, the Vietnam women’s team is ready to defend their queenly title and make history.

The Vietnam women’s team aims to achieve a historic fifth consecutive SEA Games gold medal. This goal faces a major challenge, as the confident and in-form Philippines also seek to create history. This final is not just a contest for gold; it is a test of the Philippines’ new stature in women’s football and a trial of Vietnam’s resilience as they strive to reinvent themselves.