YANGON, Dec 17 — The Malaysian women’s football team has ended its 18-year drought to advance to the semifinal stage at the 27th SEA Games in Myanmar.

The national team will face defending champion Vietnam tomorrow after completing the final game in the group B in second spot, behind Thailand.

The squad, coached by Jacob Joseph, qualified for the semifinals after Thailand trounced Laos 5-0 in their last group match yesterday.

Malaysia ended its group matches with one victory against Laos 3-1 and losing to Thailand 1-6 to emerge as runners-up in the group.

“Our target to reach the semifinals has been achieved, only one step left for the final. Although we are not labelled as a seeded team, I want the team to go all out against Vietnam,” he told Bernama.

Joseph has a tough job ahead as the team is facing injury problems involving skipper Angela Kais and goalkeeper Asma Junaidi.

“I have limited choice in selecting the first eleven against Vietnam. So, the remaining players must play more than one hundred per cent when facing Vietnam,” he said.

The other semifinal will be between Thailand and host, Myanmar at the Mandalar Thiri Stadium, Mandalay.

The best achievement by the national women’s football team was in the 1995 SEA Games in Thailand where the Malaysian women clinched the silver medal after losing 0-1 to the host in the final. — Bernama