We will do our best, says Chonburi coach Wada
Chonburi FC coach Masahiro Wada said his team would try its best to secure a place in the AFC Champions League in what would be their first appearance in six years, having reached the play-off final round with an outstanding 3-0 win over Hong Kong's South
The club from the east, which played in the continent’s premier club competition in 2008, strolled past the Hong Kong champions at the noisy Chonburi stadium, with captain Pipob On-mo’s opening strike and a brace from Thiago Cunha propelling them to a comprehensive victory.
Chonburi’s success ensured they followed Muangthong United to the final round of the play-off after the Thai Premier League runners-up overcame Vietnam’s Hanoi T&T 2-0 on Saturday. The two Thai clubs are now only one match away from joining treble winners Buriram United in the group phase of the lucrative competition.
The 49-year-old Wada, who joined the club in the close season from Japanese side Vissel Kobe, was understandably happy about his players, who earned an emphatic win in his first match in charge of the TPL club, which finished third last term.
“South China played well and made things difficult for us, but we did better and collected the ball, especially in the second half, so we could make this game ours,” said the Japanese, who succeeded Withaya Laohakul after the latter decided to move upstairs to become the club’s technical director.
Standing between his side and a place in Group F alongside FC Seoul, Central Coast Mariners and Sanfrecce Hiroshima is China’s Beijing Guoan in the one-off play-off match on February 15 in Beijing.“We have to do a lot of homework before we fly to China. We will do our best,” said Wada.
Despite the loss, South China, Hong Kong’s most successful club, got the consolation of earning a berth in the group stage of the second tier AFC Cup.
“Congratulations to Chonburi FC. You could see, the better team emerged the winner. But I would like to thank all of my players because they worked very hard. We did our best, but Chonburi have a great defence and deserved to win,” said South China coach Cheung Po Chun.
