Myanmar continued their fairytale Southeast Asian (SEA) Games football campaign with a stunning 2-1 victory over favourites Vietnam in the first semifinal at the Singapore Sports Hub on Saturday afternoon.
Despite having only two shots on target throughout the game, the White Angels converted both the chances. They took the lead through Aung Si Thu before Vo Huy Toan leveled the score only to see Myanmar's inspirational captain Nay Lin Tun to snatch a late winner.
Both teams came out playing a fast-paced game, and were backed by the boisterous fans who had begun entering the stadium hours ahead of the start of the semifinal.
Myanmar tried to press the Vietnamese backline from the get go. But once Mac Hong Quan and Nguyen Cong Phuong settled into the game, it was the men in white who threatened on several occasions.
Hong Quan was the first to have a go in the fourth minute when he took on three defenders before rifling a shot over the bar.
The same man again played a sweet one-two with Cong Phoung seven minutes later to get himself through on goal. However, goalkeeper Phyo Kyaw Zin came off his line to make a save.
Another decent opportunity came the way of Hong Quan in the 28th minute. But his attempt was once again foiled by the alert stopper who needed two attempts to gather the ball.
Vietnam's profligacy in front of goal came back to haunt them in the 38th minute when Ho Ngoc Thang was adjudged to have used his hand to deflect Nay Lin's free kick.
Winger Si Thu stepped up and sent his penalty straight down the middle for his fifth goal of the tournament as Kyi Lwin's men took a shock lead.
Both teams came back out for the second half and it was Hong Quan who was in the thick of things as usual. His 55th minute volley off Ngoc Thang's header was parried away superbly by the stopper to keep Myanmar's lead intact.
Lady luck just refused to shine on Vietnam's no. 17 when Que Ngoc Hai's 62nd minute cross fell in front of him, only for him to head over to Toshiya Miura's horror.
The Hong Quan vs. Kyaw Zin show continued seven minutes later when the Vietnam striker held his head in disbelief after another stupendous save by the brave keeper.
The equaliser finally came when Cong Phoung's ball across the six-yard box gave Huy Toan the easiest of tap-ins with 19 minutes to go.
Just when the Vietnamese pressure seemed to have broken Myanmar's resilience, Naing Kaung Sat stole the ball off his marker in the 78th minute and put captain Nay Lin through on goal. His shot took a wicked deflection off Nguyen Thanh Hien and fell into the top corner for his third goal of the tournament.
A flurry of substitutions ensued but the White Angels held on to seal their spot in the final, where there will play either Thailand or Indonesia in the final on Monday at the same venue.
Myanmar: Phyo Kyaw Zin (GK), Aung Si Thu (Aung Zone Moe 76'), Bo Hlaing Bo (Moe Chit Su 90'), Nay Lin Tun (C), Zin Lwin Kyaw, Phyo Ko Ko Thein, Zaw Hein Thiha, Thura Shine, Ye Ko Oo, Oo Thein Naing (Hein Ko Ko 81'), Naing Kaung Sat
Vietnam: Phi Minh Long (GK), Nguyen Minh Tung, Nguyen Huy Hung, Que Ngoc Hai (C), Ho Ngoc Thang (Nguyen Huu Dung 90+2'), Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Hien, Vo Huy Toan (Le Thanh Binh 80'), Nguyen Cong Phuong, Do Duy Manh (Tran Phi Son 45'), Mac Hong Quan