THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Myanmar football leaps back onto world stage

Myanmar football leaps back onto world stage

The under-19 team has done the nation proud by making it to the finals of the U20 World Cup

After emerging from the shadows of dictatorship, Myanmar football has scored a place in the international spotlight after its under-19 football team qualified for next year’s U20 World Cup.

The Myanmar team will join North Korea, Qatar and Uzbekistan in representing Asia at the 32-team tournament, to be held in New Zealand from May 30 to June 20 next year.

It’s been a while since Myanmar players shone on the international stage. The last time was in 1972 when the national team played in the final round of the Olympic Games in Berlin, East Germany. They won one match and lost two but came home with the Fair Play award.

In qualifying for next year’s tournament, Myanmar joined the other three Asian qualifiers in upsetting the form book, ousting the likes of South Korea, Australia, Japan and Iran.

On Friday, the Myanmar U-19s needed a win against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to earn a place in the World Cup and in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.

After a goalless first half the game turned into a nerve-wracking affair for the 30,000 fans at a packed into Thuwanna Stadium in Yangon. Then seven minutes after the break Myanmar’s Than Paing hit the back of the net and the stadium erupted. The fans then endured 40 minutes of heart-stopping action as Myanmar’s defence came under mounting pressure, before the final whistle transformed their agony into joy.

The win against UAE saw Myanmar, who are hosting the Asian Cup this year, automatically qualify for the World Cup.

Today the team plays Qatar in the Asian Cup semi-finals in Yangon at 7pm. A victory will put them through to the final on October 23 against the winners of the match between Uzbekistan and North Korea.

The fighting spirit of Myanmar’s U-19 outfit has caught the eye of fans and pundits beyond the country’s borders. Sport columnists in Thailand have expressed their admiration at the success of their neighbours in developing such a strong squad. Their latest victory, jealous Thai journalists noted, is no one-hit wonder.

"They have prepared well for the tournament after building a solid squad," reported Thai Rath, Thailand’s highest-circulation daily.

Myanmar football chiefs have shown how serious they are about enhancing the country’s soccer reputation by hiring a German coach, Gerd Zeise, for the U19 team. The squad then spent months training in Europe. The message to Asian football, Thailand included, is watch out – Myanmar are coming!

 

 

 

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