Vietnam women’s team denied legitimate goal in referee controversy in SEA Games final defeat to Philippines
The incident in the 29th minute of the final on Wednesday night has sparked backlash once again over the quality of refereeing at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.
It started when midfielder Ngan Thi Van Su delivered a cross into the Philippines’ penalty area and found Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy. Thuy positioned herself between two defenders and headed the ball into the net.
However, celebrations were cut short when assistant referee Chanthavong Phutsavan raised her flag for offside. Thuy was surprised when the goal was disallowed. She pointed to Phutsavan and reacted, then questioned the main referee, Rebecca Anne Durcau, but the decision was upheld.
A screenshot of the play showed that Nguyen Bich Thuy was not offside when she was about to receive a cross from Ngan Thi Van Su during the Vietnam vs Philippines women’s football final at the 33rd SEA Games, at Chonburi Stadium, Thailand, on Dec. 17, 2025. |
Normally, the main referee will follow the offside decisions of the assistant referees because they have a better view and angle of the play.
Television replays suggested a clear error. When the ball left Su’s foot, Thuy appeared to be onside, positioning herself ahead of at least two Philippine defenders. The assistant referee, despite being in line with the play, still made the wrong call. Su was also not offside in this play when she received the ball on the flank.
Thuy said she was sleepless Wednesday night following the final. “The referee robbed me of the most beautiful goal of my career,” the 31-year-old midfielder said.
Speaking to Readformer referee Phan Viet Thai analyzed the error: “The assistant referee seemed startled, focusing too much on the player who crossed the ball and forgetting that her vision should cover everything from the sideline to the box.”
Another Vietnamese referee also suggested that the assistant referee probably didn’t have time to observe and only called Thuy’s header.
The linesman, Phutsavan, a Laotian, has been recognized as a FIFA assistant referee since 2019, having officiated matches at the U20 Women’s Asian Cup and the 2024 Women’s AFF Cup. The main referee, Durcau, is Australian. The second assistant referee is Kristina Bersenyova (Turkmenistan) and the fourth official is Baddour Alesar (Syria).
The referee denies a legitimate goal from Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy in Vietnam vs the Philippines match at the 33rd SEA Games women’s football final on Dec. 17, 2025.
The decision ignited debates and backlash on social media. On forums like ASEAN Football, fans from across the region criticized the call.
“That was a perfectly valid goal. I have to admit that, even though I’m Filipino,” a user wrote.
Another fan commented: “I’m Filipino, but I don’t want to win like this either.”
“The referee was Laotian, but Thailand is the host and must take responsibility. Once again, I feel sorry for Vietnam,” a fan from Thailand wrote.
Despite the setback, coach Mai Duc Chung’s side continued to press but could not break the deadlock in 120 minutes of play. In the penalty shootout, the Philippines won 6-5, claiming their first-ever women’s football gold medal and ending Vietnam’s dream of winning five consecutive golds.
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