Kiatisak sees positives in Thailand's 3-0 friendly loss to Qatar
National football team coach Kiatisak Senamuang said he could see where his charges need to improve before they open their campaign in the last-12 Asian World Cup qualifying with a trip to Saudi Arabia next week following a 3-0 friendly loss to Qatar on T
After falling behind to Hassan Al Haydos’ seventh-minute penalty at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Thailand never recovered from the early setback against the Qataris, ranked 61st, before two second-half goals including another Al Haydos’ strike condemned them to a morale-sapping defeat.
The 43-year-old Kiatisak tried to take positives from the demoralising loss, saying he could see his side’s weakness that was exposed during the closed-door game.
“We used two sets of players in the game. I found a certain satisfaction with what the first one did even though they gave away a penalty, while the second tried to claw a goal back but ended up conceding two more.
“The defeat today is by no means a damaging result for us because the real business doesn’t begin yet. We need to regroup and regain our composure before we face the Saudis. We could see our mistakes today. Had we won, we could have got carried away,” Kiatisak said of the game that was arranged as part of their training camp in Qatar.
Kiatisak handed debut to Siroch Chatthong, a forward who plays for second-tier club Ubon UMT United who earned the call-up for the first time, and the former national striker had high praise for the 23-year-old.
“We showed we could match them (Qatar) in the game. At least, Pipo (Siroch’s nickname) passed the test after he started the game and played the full 90 minutes. He’s good alternative for us. He’s strong, physically, not giving the ball away easily. He, though, has to link up with his team mates better.”
Kiatisak’s side will leave their Doha camp for Saudi Arabia on August 29 before they take on the Saudis in the opening Group B match of Asia’s third and final World Cup qualifying round.
Asian champions Australia, traditional powerhouse Japan and two other Middle East nations, Iraq and United Arab Emirates, are Thailand’ other opponents in the six-team group.
