Vietnam to reward SEA Games women’s football champions with big bucks
Tuesday, December 10, 2019, 14:34 GMT+7
The Vietnamese national women’s football team have been promised more than VND10 billion (US$438,569) and a number of valuable items including a car and motorbikes in rewards following their successful title defense against Thailand at the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines on Sunday.
The Vietnamese women toiled in 120 minutes at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila before they could edge past Thailand, with the gold-winning goal scored in the 92nd minute.
The minimal victory won the Vietnamese women the sixth gold medal in SEA Games women’s football so far, with the other five clinched in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, and 2017.
Following the triumph, Vietnam's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien, who is also the president of the Vietnam Olympic Committee, decided to reward the team with VND1 billion (US$43,148).
Likewise, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Hung Thinh Corporation, and Le Van Kiem, chairman of Long Thanh Golf Investment and Trading JSC, each pledged the same amount to the national women’s football team.
Several other firms also promised to honor the team with monetary rewards.
Within one hour after the Vietnamese women claimed their crown, they were entitled to a total of VND5 billion ($215,202) in cash rewards, according to the Vietnam Government Portal.
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| Vietnamese and Thai players vie for possession in the finale of women's football at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, December 8, 2019. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
The team had previously received VND4 billion ($172,628) from VFF and VFF’s head of women’s football Pham Thanh Hung for booking a ticket to the final game.
As of Monday afternoon, the rewards offered to Mai Duc Chung’s team totaled up to VND10 billion ($438,569).
On Tuesday morning, the Vietnamese multi-sector conglomerate Vingroup announced on its website that it will present an e-scooter worth VND39.9 million ($1,722) and VND20 million ($863.14) in cash to each member of the national women’s football team.
Head coach Mai Duc Chung will also receive a VinFast Lux A sedan car worth VND1.35 billion ($58,250).
All of the vehicles are produced by the firm’s auto-making arm VinFast.
Vietnam defeated hosts the Philippines 2-0 on Thursday night to advance to the final in women’s football, and had only two days to prepare for their clash against archrivals Thailand.
But they then fought with blood, sweat, and tears against the Thais with a stronger physique in 120 minutes.
Many of the Vietnamese players suffered injury or a cramp during and after the gold-medal match.
One player was hospitalized after the game due to exhaustion.
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