Cheered on by their home support, Thailand began the game dictating play and Spain-based star Muhammad Osamanmusa, who was a constant blur of movement in attack in the opening spells, went inches from giving them the lead when he rattled the crossbar with a powerful effort.

 

China could only hold out the waves of pressure for so long before the hosts went in front on the 13th minute. Apiwat Chaemcharoen latched onto a loose ball and beat two defenders before firing past Song Zechao with authority.

And Thailand needed less than a minute to double the lead after Jirawat Sornwichian played a high ball down the right side which Suphawut Thueanklang chested inside his marker and rifled home.

 

Osmanmusa then scored the goal his efforts had deserved with under five minutes of the half remaining as he received a kick-in from Worasak Srirangpirot and drilled across Song into the opposite corner of the net to make it 3-0.

China began the second half in aggressive fashion choosing to use the power play early and often.

 

The tactic went close to bearing fruit too, as the man in the yellow shirt, Sheng Siming, drilled a low shot in from the edge of the area that slammed against the foot of goalkeeper Arut Senbat’s far post.

 

And Chen Zhiheng went even closer as the clock reached the halfway point of the second period as he broke through to go one on one with Arut, but his lofted effort clipped the top of the crossbar and went over.

With their three-goal advantage, Thailand seemed content to rest on their lead and allow China to have the ball, while remaining a threat on the counter.

 

But China did finally score the consolation their hard work in the second half merited when Xu Yang found the target shortly before the final whistle after Yakepujiang Maimaiti found him inside the area.

 

Thailand will go up against Myanmar on Friday, while Vietnam face China in the day’s earlier match.