Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Yangon: Nyein Chan Aung's brace brought Myanmar's dreams of reaching the AFC U-19 Championship quarter-finals within touching distance as they hosts secured a 3-0 victory over neighbours and Group A rivals Thailand at Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium on Saturday.
after an unfortunate goalkeeping error in the 42th minute.
Chenrop Samphaodi's sending off in the 71st minute added to Thailand's misery and he will now miss the side's crucial tie with Yemen at Nay Pyi Taw's Wunna Theikdi Stadium on Monday, in which the War Elephants will need to secure a win to further their participation in this tournament.
For Myanmar; a point from their game at Thuwunna Stadium against Iran in the final matchday, with the West Asian already eliminated from the tournament following a 1-0 loss to Yemen earlier in the day, should be enough to see them through.
"Every match against Thailand is a special match, but for us, today it was a final, my players knew what could happen," said Myanmar's German coach Gerd Zeise.
"We wanted to put them under pressure early, we did that and the whole day was an advert for Myanmar football, I want to say thank you to our supporters, we promised to make them happy and we kept our promise."
It only took Myanmar until the 12th minute to open their account through Nyein Chan Aung, who collected a ball threaded through to him in the box by Than Paing, and slotted it home with Thailand temporarily down to ten men as defender Shinnaphat Leeaoh was receiving attention off the pitch.
The Thai defence didn't learn from their earlier mistake, and only five minutes later, the ball was once more played along the floor into the path of the galloping Nyein Chan Aung.
Although running from deeper on this occasion, Nyein Chan Aung repeated his earlier efforts and placed the ball across the keeper to double the lead.
Myanmar's third came out of nothing, in a packed box Aung Thu accidentally skied the ball well above the throng of players stood in the box and under pressure from the White Angels' forwards, Thai goalkeeper Anusit Termmee saw the ball drop over his head and over the goal line.
Stoppage time in the first half saw both teams have goals disallowed; meaning Thailand went into the tunnel at half time with a mountain to climb.
Thailand had their best chance to get on the scoresheet in the second half when Sittichok Kannoo was left with acres of space, heading towards goal unchallenged but the alert Myanmar keeper, Myo Min Latt dived at his feet to collect the ball and avert danger.
A things got worse for Thailand as a rash tackle from Chenrop, bringing down Thiha Htet Aung deep inside Myanmar's half of the pitch earned the player's second yellow card of the match, and forced him to leave the field of play with 19 minutes remaining.
Thailand's play from then until the final whistle became disjointed as they were unable to reduce the deficit giving the hosts a deserved victory.
"When we lost our centre-back early and conceded a goal, our game broke down and it became difficult for us," said Thailand coach Sasom Pobprasert.
"This is football, everybody is disappointed when they lose, but it's a game, maybe there were tactical mistakes on my side but that's finished and we must look towards Yemen."