Brace for tough BATTLE: Kiatisak
THOUGH THAILAND have never lost to Indonesia in his two-and-half-year reign, national coach Kiatisak Senamuang said his men have a tough battle on their hands in the first leg of Asean Football Championship final in Bogor, Indonesia, today.
Defending champions Thailand’s run to the title showdown in the biennial tournament has been nothing short of spectacular as they won all five matches on the way to match their best sequence of results going back to 2000.
A win at the sold-out Pakansari Stadium will not only set a new mark but also put Kiatisak’s side in strong position to claim a record-breaking fifth regional crown ahead of the return leg three days later.
Kiatisak may boast a perfect record in the three matches against the Indonesians, most recently a 4-2 win in the group opener in the Philippines last month, but the 43-year-old was quick to dismiss any suggestion that it will be a plain sailing in the first leg.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate Indonesia for making it to the final. It would be a good game tomorrow. It’s not an easy test for us without question because they have some good players. We’ll try to do our best, though.
“We’re almost 100 percent ready at the moment. All of our players are in good shape except Tanaboon Kesarat, who faces a late medical check up. Tomorrow, we want to show our fans and those in the region how far we’ve come. All the guys know they need to work hard. We want a win to make our job easier at home. Everything is already in place for the game.
“Since my playing days, it’s always been tough to face Indonesia. It’s not easy since we have to play in front of tens of thousands of fans,” said the former national striker.
“When we played them at Gelora Senayan Stadium [which could hold almost 100,000 spectators] before, we faced intense pressure from the crowd. We may have to deal with just 30,000-40,000 fans tomorrow but it’s definitely not easy. We have to play cautiously,” Kiatisak said yesterday.
Indonesia have fought their way into their fifth final, the second highest number of appearances in the title match behind the Kingdom (8), even though they emerged from international wilderness after two years following a ban imposed by Fifa for internecine battle within the country’s football association. Their remarkable run has left a huge impression on the Thai coach.
“Indonesia were suspended for two years by Fifa. But, they kept things going internally. Reaching the final is an evidence that they have continued to progress,” Kiatisak said of the opponents, who are bidding to win the title for the first time in five attempts.
The Thai coach also shrugged off concerns that some of his players had bitter memories from their previous trips to Indonesia, which culminated in premature exits at the 2010 edition and the SEA Games the following year.
“I didn’t know what happened in the past. I only know that we’ve always enjoyed successes since I took charge of the team. We will not dwell on the past. We focus on the present and tomorrow will be another chance to achieve success,” Kiatisak said.
