Thailand shockingly lost to Turkmenistan, at risk of missing the 2027 Asian Cup

(NLDO) - Late on June 10, the Thai team unexpectedly suffered a 1-3 defeat to Turkmenistan in the second match of Group D of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, despite being rated higher.

Both teams won their opening matches, making the clash in Ashgabat a “Group D final”. Turkmenistan, despite being ranked more than 40 places below Thailand in the FIFA rankings, started the match with confidence and surprisingly took the lead in the first minute thanks to a goal from Mihail Titow.

Thailand tried to push up the squad but had difficulty on the artificial pitch, the passing game was not effective.

Thailand (white) unexpectedly let the opponent take the lead

After many missed opportunities, Supachai Chaided headed home to equalize 1-1 in the 35th minute. However, just 2 minutes later, Yhlas Saparmammedow restored the lead for the home team with a close-range finish.

The second half saw Thailand dominate possession but lack breakthroughs in finishing. On the contrary, Turkmenistan made good use of set pieces. In the 66th minute, captain Mekan Saparow increased the score to 3-1 from a corner kick.

Despite unleashing all their attacking firepower in the last 20 minutes, Thailand could not penetrate the home team's tight defense.

Losing 1-3 on aggregate, Thailand has 3 points after 2 matches, ranked 3rd in Group D and is at risk of having points deducted from the FIFA rankings. This team even faces the risk of missing out on a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals like Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is firmly in the lead with 6 points, opening the door to the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

 

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thai-lan-thua-soc-turkmenistan-nguy-co-lo-hen-asian-cup-2027-196250611011400019.htm