AFC praises Thailand U23's resilience.

The AFC praised the resilience of the Thailand U23 team for their 1-1 draw against Iraq U23 in Group D of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship on the evening of January 11th.

Thailand U23 earned a courageous draw against Iraq U23.

Having been underestimated after their 1-2 defeat against Australia in their opening match, Thailand entered the game with nothing to lose. In the 4th minute, Teerapat Pruetong rattled the Iraqi defense with a dangerous shot, before Chawanwit Saelao missed a golden opportunity in the 15th minute when his shot narrowly missed the post after a sharp counter-attack. This was considered by the AFC as the first psychological turning point of the match.

Iraq, under pressure to win after their draw against China, pressed hard and were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute when Nathan James fouled Aymen Luay inside the box. Amoori Faisal made no mistake, putting the West Asian side ahead.

However, what caught the AFC's attention wasn't the goal conceded, but the way Thailand reacted. They didn't collapse; on the contrary, they pushed forward, constantly testing goalkeeper Layth Sajid with skillful shots from Thanawut Phochai and Iklas Sanron.

In the second half, Thailand controlled the game better, patiently stifling Iraq with their fast-paced and flexible play on both flanks. This persistence finally paid off in the 85th minute, when Thanawut assisted Chinngoen Phutonyong, who calmly finished to equalize the score at 1-1. "A well-deserved reward for the never-give-up spirit of the Thailand U23 team," the AFC emphasized.

Even with a golden opportunity in injury time to secure all three points, Thailand was denied by the Iraqi goalkeeper. Nevertheless, this draw was enough to rekindle hopes of advancing and send a clear message that the Thai U23 team is back in contention in Group D.

In the final match, the Thailand U23 team will be guaranteed to advance if they beat the China U23 team.

Source: https://znews.vn/afc-khen-u23-thai-lan-ban-linh-post1618841.html