AFC points out unbelievable stats of Thailand's reserve goalkeeper

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) homepage has just released a series of notable statistics before the match between Thailand and Uzbekistan in the 1/8 round of the 2023 Asian Cup. Thailand is the only representative of Southeast Asia still competing in the 2023 Asian Cup. Indonesia was eliminated after a 0-4 defeat to Australia.

According to AFC, the Thai team can put their faith in their goalkeepers. The starting goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai had 4 saves, while his backup Saranon Anuin had 7 saves. This figure is only behind Meshaal Barshaal (Qatar) with 8 saves for the home team.

Notably, Saranon Anuin only played in the match against Saudi Arabia and he was also voted the best player. The Thai team was constantly pressured by Saudi Arabia but Anuin's brilliant performance discouraged the opposing strikers.

The goalkeeper born in 1994 was trusted by coach Ishii Masatada when he had an impressive performance in the Thai League. He kept a clean sheet in 5/16 matches and conceded 16 goals after 16 rounds. However, Chiangrai United is not the top candidate for the championship.

In addition to Anuin's stats, the AFC also pointed out that Thailand can rely on their defense. The Thai team kept a clean sheet in all three group stage matches. In the previous 24 matches in the Asian Cup, Thailand only kept a clean sheet three times.

On the contrary, Uzbekistan is in the top 10 strongest teams in Asia but has not shown much at the 2023 Asian Cup. They have lost 6/7 matches in the knockout round in all Asian Cups. Meanwhile, Thailand has lost 3/4 matches.

In terms of head-to-head record, Uzbekistan has the advantage when winning against Thailand in both of their last two matches, both with a score of 2-0.

The match between Thailand and Uzbekistan takes place at 6:30 p.m. on January 30.

Mai Phuong

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