DOHA, Dec 7 - Played in torrential rain and with nothing at stake but pride, the women's soccer match between Vietnam and Taiwan was one fixture on a busy Asian Games schedule that could easily have been forgotten.

But for Kieu Van Ninh and some 200 of his fellow Vietnamese, this was a rare chance to show how much they loved their country -- and they were not about to let a mere rainstorm stop them.

"In south Vietnam it rains much. In Qatar it is too hot so rain is good," Ninh told Reuters.

Gathered under a few inadequate bolts of plastic sheeting in an uncovered stand at the otherwise empty 13,000 capacity Al-Arabi stadium, the southeast Asians screamed and whooped as if it was the World Cup final.

"Viet-Nam, Viet-Nam," they chanted as soon as their red-clad countrywomen crossed the halfway line.

These are the men who build the skyscrapers dotting the skyline in what once was a peninsula inhabited by pearl fishermen and Bedouin.

Now it is a gas-rich emirate with aspirations of hosting the Middle East's first Olympic Games in 2016.

Ninh, 24, and his two friends have been working in the Gulf state for two years, part of a growing army of men and women encouraged to labour around Asia.

The Vietnamese government estimates they contribute $1.5 billion a year to the state's coffers.

He and his friends send most of the 1,000 Qatari riyals ($275) they earn a month back to their families in Ho Chi Minh City, Ninh said, but they did put five riyals aside to pay for their tickets to the match.

SODDEN MOB

"We like football, I think the standard is very good," said 23-year-old Pham Van Dung, clad in a jacket with a poorly copied Manchester United badge stitched on the chest.

"But also it means we can meet Vietnam people."

At half-time the rain eased and the sodden mob chatted and wound up their ancient cameras to take pictures of each other, ignoring the surly glances of the security staff forced out into the wet weather to monitor them.

When the players returned, however, it was back to their supporting role.

They cheered every kick, cheered when the referee blew her whistle, cheered when someone started waving the red flag with its proud yellow star, corners brought near hysteria.

They even cheered the return of the rain.

Sadly for Ninh and his friends, events on the pitch did not go their way.

Vietnam, who had already conceded eight goals in losing their first two matches, went down 3-1 with a last-minute penalty rubbing salt into the wound.

"Particularly when we're away from home, the support is a big inspiration for the team," Vietnam coach Tran Ngoc Thai Tuan said through an interpreter.

"We are only disappointed that we couldn't match their expectations."

For the Vietnam players, the Asian Games are over and they will soon be making the 6,000km journey home.

Ninh and his friends will be around a little while longer.