Vu Thi Huyen Linh of Vietnam celebrating after only goal during the match between Vietnam and Chinese Taiepi in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2006 on July 23, 2006 at the Marden Stadium in Adelaide. Vietnam won 1-0. AFC Photo by Tom Miletic

ADELAIDE: Vietnam claimed third spot in Group A with a battling 1-0 win over Chinese Taipei in what was the final outing for both teams at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup at Marden Stadium here on Sunday.

The first half saw plenty of willingness from both teams however only rarely was the goalkeeper of either team troubled.

Chinese Taipei made the first incursion into the opposition penalty area with Ya-Ling Chen getting in behind the defence but she struck her shot across the face of goal from an awkward angle with only the keeper to beat.

For Vietnam Thi Kim Hong Tran fired in a well-hit long range stimulating the healthy and noisy contingent of Vietnamese supporters on hand.

The real action was in the second half and 13 minutes after the break substitute Chinese Taipei’s Li-Hui Shih executed a superb volley from 15 metres, which in turn produced an equally impressive one-handed save from Vietnam’s custodian Thi Kieu Trinh Dang.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 71st minute with Vietnam getting the all-important goal. Thi Hoai Thu Le picked the ball on halfway and slipped a superb ball in past the last defender and into the path of the onrushing Thi Huyen Linh Vu who finished stylishly over the head of Yi-Ju Chen.

“I believe the team have new confidence in their ability following today’s game," Esaid Vietnamese coach Ngoc Thai Tuan Tran.

Chinese Taipei coach Chou Tai Ying said: “Although we lost 1-0 the players did their best. They played very well but Vietnam played very well too."

“We lost all three matches which is not what we expected. It is a learning process for us and that is the only way we can accept it."