What did the Thailand U23 coach say about Vietnam U23 before SEA Games 33?

TPO - Captain of U23 Thailand Thawatchai Damrong‑Ongtrakul ranked U23 Vietnam first among the competitors for the gold medal in men's football at the 33rd SEA Games.

"We focus most on U23 Vietnam, the team that won the U23 ASEAN Cup 2025. Next are U23 Indonesia and U23 Malaysia. U23 Thailand will not underestimate the remaining teams, because we believe that all opponents have made progress," coach Thawatchai Damrong‑Ongtrakul shared with the Thai press.

The captain of U23 Thailand answered many questions from the Thai media about the preparation situation before SEA Games 33. First, Mr. Thawatchai stated the team's goal: "We want to win the SEA Games 33. It is a challenge, but I believe everyone wants U23 Thailand to win at home. The cheers from the fans will give strength to U23 Thailand."

Coach Thawatchai said that the U23 Thailand team was in a serious turmoil during the mid-November training session, when many players could not join the team. Specifically, the players were "split into 5 or 7" because some were called up to the national team and some withdrew due to club work. The U23 Thailand team went to China for training without a full squad.

Coach Thawatchai and his team are actively preparing to face U23 India in a friendly match on November 15. This is an important match, helping the "Little War Elephants" prepare for the 33rd SEA Games.

At the 33rd SEA Games, U23 Thailand fell into Group A with Timor-Leste and Cambodia. Coach Thawatchai and his team will not have much difficulty winning the top spot in Group A and advancing to the final.

In other developments, U23 Vietnam will be in the same group with Malaysia and Laos. U23 Vietnam will have a tough test before SEA Games 33 when they go to China to participate in the Panda Cup friendly tournament with the host team, South Korea and Uzbekistan. U23 Indonesia, another strong candidate, is also preparing very carefully for SEA Games 33 by mobilizing all resources, focusing on the best for the U23 team.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/hlv-u23-thai-lan-noi-gi-ve-u23-viet-nam-truoc-them-sea-games-33-post1795997.tpo