Indian women’s football team held Vietnam to a 1-1 draw in their second FIFA International Friendly at the Vietnam National Training Centre ground in Hanoi on Wednesday. This was a much improved performance from the Indian team as they had earlier lost the first international friendly 0-3.
Both the sides scored on either side of the half-time. Thai Thi Thao put the hosts in the lead in the 39th minute, but India came back strongly in the second half to equalise through Ranjana Chanu.
India had their first real chance around the half-hour mark, when Dangmei Grace broke clear of the Vietnam defence, but her effort went wide of goal. Soon after, Aditi made a great save to thwart a counter-attack.
India managed to get a free-kick from a dangerous position, but striker Bala Devi’s effort also went wide of the target. India went on to rue the missed chances, as Thai Thi Thao soon put Vietnam in the lead with six minutes left for the half-time.
Changing over, Vietnam goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh was really put to the test. She pulled off two crucial saves to keep her side in the lead – the first one was a close-range free-kick by attacker Sanju, while the second one was from a shot by centre back Sweety Devi, who had a crack at goal from a distance.
India eventually got the breakthrough that they were looking for when Ranjana Chanu was played through on goal by captain Ashalata Devi and the former made no mistake to slot home.
Head Coach Maymol Rocky brought in Anju Tamang in place of Daya Devi around half an hour left on the clock. Sanju did have a chance late on from a close-range free-kick, but the ball flew wide of goal, as the match ended with a 1-1 score.
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