Thai hockey team win AHF Cup first time in 59 years
Gifted Kornkanok Sanpuang on Sunday scored a hat-trick as Thailand blanked Singapore 4-0 in the showdown of the PTT Women’s AHF Cup 2016 to reign supreme for the first time in 59 years and qualify for the 2017 Hockey Asia Cup in Japan.
Competing at the Chalermprakiat Stadium, Khlong Hok, Thailand, ranked No.36 in the world ranking, drew first blood in the 17th minute, thanks to Kornkanok’s superb form. The team’s second goal came from Tikamporn Sakulpitak in the 43rd minute, while Kornkanok fired the third and fourth in the 57th and 67th minutes for the Thailand’s eventual 4-0 win over Singapore after completion of the 70-minute game.
Defending champions Taiwan had to be content with the bronze medal following a 4-1 win over Pakistan, while Hong Kong defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 to finish fifth and Uzbekistan downed Cambodia 12-0 for the seventh position.
After the showdown, Chaipak Siriwat, president of the Hockey Association of Thailand, expressed his satisfaction over the Thailand’s victory.
“It’s one of the greatest successes for Thailand since this is for the first time in 59 years that we won the AHF trophy. We played exceptioanlly well in the final showdown, especially Natthakarn Unjai and Kornkanok Sanpuang, who scored a hat-track. As we beat Singapore 4-0, both Thailand and Singapore qualified for the 2017 Hockey Asia Cup in Japan, where six teams have automatically qualified comprising China, Korea, Japan, India, Kazakhstan and Malaysia. Thailand and Singapore will then join the six teams for the Asia Cup,” he said.
