KORAT, Thailand, Dec 8, 2007 (AFP) - Singapore and Vietnam won their final group matches here Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the SEA Games football competition, where they will face Thailand and Myanmar.

Malaysia drew 1-1 with Singapore while Vietnam beat Laos 2-1, meaning Vietnam top group B with six points, followed by Singapore on five.

Malaysia took the lead in their match with Singapore, with Mohammed Amirulhadi Zainal scoring with a header in the 71st minute but Singapore hit back nine minutes later through substitute Agu Casmir.

In the Vietnam-Laos clash, Laos took the lead through Maosingto Lam on 16 minutes but Vietnam scored twice before half-time through Cung Doan Viet and Phan Thanh Binh to seal the match.

Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic said his side had made it difficult for themselves by not taking their chances.

"We made more problems for ourselves because in the first half we didn't score... but it's very important to get to the semi-finals."

Malaysian coach Baskaran Sathanathan said his side paid the price for not taking two clear chances in the final five minutes. A win would have taken them through.

"I think it was a very, very hard game. We took the lead and then we lost concentration," he said.

Malaysia finished group B on four points and Laos finished bottom with one point.

Thailand, chasing their eighth consecutive SEA Games football gold, remain on course to defend the coveted under-23 football title after beating Indonesia 2-1 Friday, sending them crashing out.

The host nation qualified from group A with a perfect record of nine points from three fixtures along with unfancied Myanmar, who hammered Cambodia 6-2 Friday to progress on goal difference at Indonesia's expense.

Myanmar play Vietnam and Thailand meet Singapore, ASEAN champions at senior level, on Tuesday, with the final scheduled for Friday.