After a 1-0 victory over U22 Malaysia in the semi-finals of the 33rd SEA Games men's football, U22 Thailand has officially qualified for the final match, where they will face U22 Vietnam. Despite playing with more players very early, the home team still encountered many difficulties against opponents with good physical strength and organization.
Speaking before the final match, head coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul affirmed that Thailand U22's consistent goal at the 33rd SEA Games is the gold medal. He emphasized: We are getting closer to the SEA Games goal. The coaching staff, the players, myself and the fans all have one goal: to win the SEA Games championship this time".
Evaluating the opponents in the final match, coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul acknowledged the strength of U22 Vietnam, and considered this an important challenge for Thai football to affirm its position in the region.
He said: "Regarding the final match against Vietnam, they are a strong team in Southeast Asia. We want to prove ourselves, because last time we participated in the Southeast Asian tournament, we lost to Indonesia. If they want to regain the No. 1 position in ASEAN, Thailand must face and overcome strong teams.
In addition to aiming for the highest goal, the head coach of Thailand U22 also pointed out two key priorities that the team needs to quickly resolve in the short time before the final match. According to him, the first factor is physical fitness: The most important thing is physical recovery. Every player needs to be ready for the final and the match will be more exciting.
The next priority is to improve the ability to control the game - something that U22 Thailand did not do well in the semi-final match. Coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul frankly acknowledged: U22 Thailand need to focus back on controlling the match. Malaysia is a quality team with a great team spirit, that is very commendable. We need to improve further".
The 33rd SEA Games men's football final between Thailand U22 and Vietnam U22 will take place at 7:30 p.m. on December 18.
