Thai coach hints about... the player who provoked Xuan Son, preparing for penalty shootout

Thailand's determination

The 1-2 defeat in the first leg of the AFF Cup 2024 final put Thailand in a difficult position before the rematch with Vietnam. Coach Masatada Ishii and his team must win by 2 goals to win the championship, or at least 1 goal to drag the match into extra time (or penalty shootout).

According to Mr. Ishii, the Thai team let Xuan Son loose in the first leg, creating conditions for the naturalized striker of the Vietnamese team to score 2 goals. "We have conducted a thorough analysis after the first leg. The players could not stop Xuan Son. However, Thailand will correct their mistakes. We must leave the worst behind and prepare well for the second leg of the final," Mr. Ishii analyzed.

Coach Masatada Ishii

Center back Chalermsak Aukkee had health problems after the first leg of the final. The key player of Thailand once answered the press that he "did not know who Xuan Son was" and made provocative statements to the Vietnamese team. However, in the first leg of the final, it was Chalermsak who made the mistake, causing Thailand to concede the second goal to Vietnam.

"After completing today's training session, the Thai team will re-evaluate their squad to finalize the starting lineup for tomorrow's match. Will Chalermsak start? You will know tomorrow," coach Ishii shared. The Japanese coach also prepared a penalty shootout scenario in the second leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final, stating: "I think the match will have a penalty shootout, so I have prepared carefully."

The Thai team is tired.

Coach Ishii also admitted that the Thai team is having physical problems due to the tight schedule. Before the first leg of the final, Suphanat Muenta and his teammates only had 1 day of complete rest. Similarly, in the second leg, the players were tired from traveling and had only 2 days to recover.

"After the first leg, the Thai players were very tired. We had many difficulties. I talked to the players in the dressing room that the priority now is to recover their physical strength. The starting players tomorrow will have to try to correct their mistakes and play according to the outlined tactics. The Thai players understand their responsibility when playing at Rajamangala Stadium. They will have to give their all in front of tens of thousands of fans," Mr. Ishii affirmed.

The Japanese coach also added: "The Thai team is in a generational transition phase. After the AFF Cup 2024, the players will return to compete in the domestic league. I will choose the squad for the next tournament depending on the actual situation. As for who to choose for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, I cannot reveal it at this time."

The Vietnamese team will compete against Thailand in the second leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final, taking place at 8:00 p.m. on January 5.

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-thai-lan-up-mo-ve-cau-thu-tung-khieu-khich-xuan-son-chuan-bi-da-luan-luu-185250104121746377.htm