Thais face UPHILL TASK
NATIONAL FOOTBALL team coach Kiatisak Senamuang acknowledged things were not going to be any easier for his charges after going down 3-0 at home to Saudi Arabia on Thursday when they go up against four-time Asian champions Japan in the World Cup qualifier in Saitama next week.
The Thai side, the lowest-ranked side to reach the final round of the Asian qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, slumped to a fifth loss in six group matches when their limitations were cruelly exposed by a clinical Saudi side at Rajamangala National Stadium.
The result virtually extinguished the 127th-ranked Thai team’s hopes of a first-ever World Cup finals appearance. Kiatisak’s side, who have only a single point from a possible 18, lie at the bottom of the Group B standings, 12 points off the group’s two automatic qualification spots with four games left to play.
Next up is an equally daunting task on Tuesday – against a resurgent Japanese side, who are on a five-game unbeaten run after a losing start to their campaign in the last-12 round. They are tied on 13 points with the Saudis but behind on goal difference after beating the UAE 2-0 away on Thursday.
Kiatisak admitted there would be no respite for them when they visit Japan, who are bidding to reach a sixth successive World Cup finals, at the Saitama Stadium, one of the venues of the 2002 World Cup that was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
“It’s a tough task for us as we’re facing such a top team in the region like Japan and we have to play in their backyard at this time. Nevertheless, we have to check our players’ condition first to see whether they’re in good shape or not.
“More importantly, we have to lift our players’ morale and shrug the latest setback off. We know well that in football you can win or lose. You’re happy when you win but you are disappointed when you lose. This is natural. We need to dust off these negative feelings and get ready for the next challenge,” said Kiatisak, before boarding a flight to Japan with his squad in the morning on Friday.
The reverse against the Saudis came at a cost for the Thai side as captain Theerathon Bunmathan will have to sit out Tuesday’s fixture due to a suspension, prompting Kiatisak to draft in Chonburi FC’s Nurul Sriyankem as his replacement.
“We decided to call up Nurul because we believe he could help us in attack. He’s one of the first names that came to mind. He is definitely going to complement our game, offensively,” Kiatisak said of the player who would join up with the squad later in Japan.
The 43-year-old coach was also tipping Muangthong United’s Peerapat Notechaiya, who came on as a second-half substitute against the Saudis, to fill the void left by his clubmate Theerathon’s enforced absence on the left side of defence.
“Actually, Peerapat was brought on for Theerathon when Muangthong played Ulsan Hyundai in the recent AFC Champions League game after he picked up a knock early in the match. He did perform well.
“We believe he could do a good job as a left back, both offensively and defensively. He should be a competent replacement,” the Thai coach said of Peerapat, who normally operates as a right back.
