Rennes: Thailand’s FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 campaign came to end with a third successive defeat, as Chile earned a 2-0 victory, their first ever at the tournament.
Despite their historic win, Chile fell agonisingly short of the three-goal win they needed to advance to the knockout stage, with Francisca Lara missing an 86th minute penalty which would have seen them advance if successful.
Thailand’s chances of reaching the Round of 16 had effectively been quashed prior to kick-off by Cameroon’s late win over New Zealand, which gave them the impossible task of needing to win by 15 goals to advance.
The Chaba Kaew would have needed to break the scoring record set against by the United States nine days ago to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage, but the desire to finish their campaign strongly proved to be ample motivation.
Chile, on the other hand, knew that a win by three goals our more would see them leapfrog Nigeria into the Round of 16, and it took a combination of the head of Natthakarn Chinwong and the woodwork to prevent Maria Jose Urrutia from opening the scoring in the 10th minute.
That close shave was symptomatic of Chile’s early control, but two efforts from Silawan Intamee - the second of which was deflected just wide by Chile’s Rocio Soto – reminded the South Americans that Thailand possessed a threat of their own.
A goal scorer against Sweden, Kanjana Sung-Ngoen tried an audacious long-range effort which forced star Chilean goalkeeper to tip the ball over the bar, before the half ended with a magnificent long-range drive from Rosario Balmaceda, which beat Waraporn Boonsing but crashed into the crossbar at the other end.
Thailand coach Nuengrutai Srathongvian had expected goals prior to the match, and Chile looked to speed up the process of getting one when they introduced teenager Javira Grez at half-time, only for the teenager to miss a sitter in her first minute on the pitch.
But Chile’s goal, their first ever at a Women’s World Cup, did arrive just two minutes later, as Yanara Adeo’s strike hit the upright, before catching the foot of a motionless Waraporn, who directed the ball into her own net.
It was a case of ‘one goal down, two to go’ as far as Chile were concerned and Urrutia kept their hopes of a place in the Round of 16 alive when she found the net with a glancing header with 10 minutes remaining.
Waraporn conceded a VAR-assisted penalty kick by fouling the same player just two minutes later, and it seemed the South Americans would pull off the miracle they needed.
But Lara remarkably slammed her decisive spot kick into the crossbar, breaking Chilean hearts and adding a dramatic final twist to an encounter which ultimately ended the campaigns of both sides.
Photos: FIFA via Getty Images
Source: the-afc.com