Qatar and Thailand remain clean sheets since the start of the tournament, after drawing 0-0 with Oman in their second match of Group F at the 2023 Asian Cup.
Thailand only had possession for 30% of the match, but that doesn't mean they were overwhelmed. Coach Masatada Ishii instructed his players to proactively play defensively and counter-attack, aiming to earn a point, as that would be enough to put them one step closer to qualification. The Thai defense continued to be solid, keeping another clean sheet and frustrating Oman's attacking efforts.
Thailand captain Theerathon Bunmathan (right) shields the ball from striker Issam Al Sabhi during the match at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, matchday 2 of Group F, Asian Cup 2023, January 21, 2024. Photo: Lam Thoa
The average height of Thailand's starting lineup in this match was 1.798 m, which is comparable to the tournament average. Although considering the team's overall statistics, Thailand is the second shortest team in the tournament, at 1.763 m, after Vietnam. Oman is ranked 74th in FIFA, 39 places higher than Thailand, but the events on the field did not reflect that.
Both teams only had six shots on goal in this match, most of which were not dangerous. Thailand's chances were even better, with an expected goals metric of 0.56, meaning their six shots had a combined probability of scoring at 56%. This figure was only 49% for Oman, according to Opta .
Thailand played better and created the most dangerous chance in the first half. In the 16th minute, defender Theerathon Bunmathan took a corner kick from the left, allowing the 1.95m tall center-back Elias Dolah to head the ball from close range, but it hit the Oman goalkeeper and bounced away. The Thai coaching staff got up but celebrated prematurely, missing a chance with a 36% chance of scoring. This was also the most dangerous situation of the match.
Oman had a similar opportunity when midfielder Jameel Al Yahmadi advanced down the right flank and crossed the ball to striker Issam Al Sabhi, who took a difficult shot that hit goalkeeper Patiwat in the 20th minute. Sabhi's shot had a 29% chance of scoring, the second highest in the match.
Key events of the match.
The second half was even more tightly contested, with Oman not taking too many risks pushing forward in search of a goal, while Thailand continued to defend with a low defensive line. The Thai defense, with its two central defenders, Elias Dolah and Pansa Hemviboon, both averaging 1.93m tall, neutralized every cross from Oman. The West Asian team's "fly-swarm" corner kick tactic, which had caused many problems for Vietnam in the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, proved ineffective against the tall Thai defenders.
The only blemish on Thailand's record in this match was that captain Theerathon Bunmathan received a yellow card for kicking an opponent's ankle, resulting in a suspension for the final match against Saudi Arabia on January 25th. Despite this, Thailand may have already secured their qualification before this match.
After two matches, Thailand has yet to concede a goal, has four points, and is guaranteed to finish in one of the top three positions in Group F. Four points is also usually enough for a third-placed team to qualify for the next round, according to the Asian Cup format.
Quang Dung - Hoang An
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