(Sports) Australia U20 advances into AFF Women's Championship semi-final

Australia U20 made the second victory at the 2015 AFF Women's Championship in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City after defeating Laos 1-0 on Sunday, guaranteeing a place in the semi-final.

Laos, which edged Indonesia 2-0 at the weekend, spared no efforts to grab the second win in the tournament, but their ambition was smashed by physically stronger Australian players who deployed an overall offensive game-plan. Australian players, mostly born in the late 90s and two in 2000, missed some scoring chances.

In the 60th minute, 16-year-old Australian striker Kobie Ferguson delivered a powerful high shot to the left corner of Laos ' goal, leaving Laotian goalie Bounyong Akkhavong stranded and making the only goal of the game.

Along with the triumph at the weekend when Australia U20 whitewashed Thailand 3-0 at the AFF Women's Championship opener, Australia currently tops the tournament's Group A with six points, surely securing the first berth to semi-finals.

On Monday, Myanmar will take on the Philippines, and Malaysia fight against Vietnam which has eyed the trophy in a determined manner.

Eight teams, including Thailand, Australia U20, Indonesia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia and the Philippines, are competing for the trophy. In the previous AFF Women's Championship, Japan was crowned after downing Australia 5-3 in the penalty shoot-out. Endi