from left: Hlaing Aye Nandar, U Soe Myint Lwin, Woll Aye Kyu

By Etsuko Miyazaki

ADELAIDE: Myanmar's performance in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2006 has been disappointing, to say the least. After all, two goals in four matches - and no points – is not something to shout about.

But since one of these goals came against Asian giants Korea Republic, coach Woll Aye Kyu feels his team can return home with their heads high, proud in the knowledge that they did their duty to the best of their ability.

"Our players couldn't attack as they were too anxious to defend," said Woll, a former national team player who won the Indonesia Cup and Merdeka Cup in the late seventies. "We had just one striker playing upfront and she couldn’t manage to go forward and attack alone."

"So the goal against Korea Republic is creditable."

"The gap between the level of ASEAN countries and East Asians is very big," admitted the coach.

"Our aim is to win the South East Asian Games in the next four years and qualify for the next AFC Women’s Asian Cup and then the Olympics," said Woll.

The coach pointed out the obstacles facing women's football in Myanmar. "Not many people know that we have seven teams in our women’s league but players cannot live only off football. They need outside sources of income."

Captain Maw Daw San San supported Woll's assertion. "When I started playing football my family didn’t like it. But after I was selected for the national team they started supporting me," said San.

Hlaing Aye Nandar, who scored the memorable goal against Korea Republic in their final group game, said: "It was a great honour for Myanmar women’s football to score against a team like the Korea Republic. This goal will help Myanmarese women’s football in terms of motivation for development."