Coach Kiatisak eyeing hat-trick of victories
Despite being assured of a semifinal spot, national coach Kiatisak Senamuang is eyeing a hat-trick of victories when the Kingdom take on the Philippines in their final Group A match in the Asean Football Championship tomorrow.
Not only did Tuesday’s narrow 1-0 win over Singapore made sure of the Thais’ berth in the last four of the biennial tournament, it also confirmed their status as the group’s winners with a game to spare.
Up next are the hosts Philippines, who are unbeaten after drawing their opening two games but need to scrap with Singapore and Indonesia to follow Kiatisak’s side into the semifinal round of the regional championship, better known as Suzuki Cup.
Ahead of the fixture at the Philippine Sports Stadium in Manila, the hosts are currently the best-ranked Southeast Asian team as they lie in the 124th spot. However, Kiatisak does not look at the game as an opportunity to prove which side is the real top dog in the region.
“If we beat the Philippines, it will improve our position in the world rankings. On the other hand, we could slip further down the table if we lose.
“Anyway, I don’t want us to battle with them to prove that we are the number one team in the region. Winning the title will determine that,” said Kiatisak, whose side is languishing at 146 in the Fifa rankings.
The former national striker also reckoned that the current Philippines squad was different from the side that lost to Thailand 3-0 in the semifinals two years ago. Thailand went on to clinch their fourth title that put them level with Singapore as the tournament’s two most successful countries.
“Two years ago, they were a good team. This time, not only do they have some old, but also added a new faces. They look livelier. Up front, they have forwards who are agile and sharp.
“Offensively, they have players who have good dribbling skills. They are dangerous with the set pieces as well.
“Phil Younghusband’s free kick against Indonesia is the best example. Nevertheless, they still have some weak spots. So, if we could attack them quickly and with good precision we will be able to make their life difficult,” said Kiatisak, referring to Philippines’ second group match against Indonesia in which they had to come from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw.
While looking to rotate his squad for the final group match, the 43-year-old Kiatisak insisted his team wanted to end group stage campaign with a perfect record.
“We may make a lot of changes for the next game as we want to keep our players fresh for the next round. But, the match still holds the same importance for us because we want to finish the preliminary round with maximum nine points.”
