Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: Thailand left it late to make a winning start to their 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint-qualifying campaign with substitute Pokklaw A-Nan scoring the only goal of Sunday’s Group F encounter against Vietnam with ten minutes left to play.
The Police United midfielder, a 66th minute replacement for Wichaya (Sanrawat) Dechmitr, finally broke the deadlock at the Rajamangala Stadium in the 80th minute, ten minutes after Thailand had been given the numerical advantage following the dismissal of Nguyen Minh Chau.
The 30-year-old Hai Phong midfielder, who was part of Vietnam’s 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup-winning squad, received his marching orders in the 70th minute when 2013 AFC Referee of the Year Ben Williams had booked him for a second time having already cautioned him five minutes into the second half.
Preliminary Round 2 Group F resumes on June 11 when Indonesia, the third of the ASEAN trio in the five-team table, travels to Chinese Taipei, who are Thailand’s next opponents with Kiatisuk Senamuang’s side look to make it two wins out of two when they head to the Taipei Municipal Stadium for the June 16 fixture.
Vietnam play their second match of the joint-qualifiers on September 3 when they host Indonesia at the My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi.
The group winners and four best runners-up (total 12 teams) will advance to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (12 slots or 11 slots + 1 slot for the host) in the 24-team 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals.
Photo: AFP