On October 14, the Thai team showed great form against Syria in the final match of the King's Cup 2024. Under the enthusiastic cheers of 30,000 spectators at Tinsulanon Stadium, coach Masatada Ishii and his students overwhelmed their opponents, who were ranked 8 places higher in the FIFA rankings.
After missing a series of chances, Thailand finally opened the scoring in the 44th minute through Ekanit Panya. Syria quickly equalized in less than 10 minutes by taking advantage of a mistake by Sasalak Haiprakhon. With the match drawing to a close, in the 90+1 minute, Chanathip Songkrasin unleashed a powerful long-range shot to seal a 2-1 victory and help Thailand win the King’s Cup for the first time in 7 years.
This achievement helped the Thai team receive a large bonus. The President of the Football Association of Thailand - Madam Pang awarded 5 million baht (nearly 4 billion VND) to the team. Previously, she also awarded 1 million baht (about 750 million VND) when Thailand won against the Philippines to reach the final.
After the match, coach Masatada expressed his praise for Chanathip, saying that thanks to his leadership, the whole team was able to show impressive performance.
Chanathip was also voted Man of the Match, and in his post-match speech, he thanked his coach, teammates, and fans. “We have proven our ability, and this young generation is bringing great hope to the Thai team,” he said.
