Live broadcast of U23 Thailand vs China

Thailand U23 faces its biggest challenge in the group stage of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship, as they must defeat China U23 in the final match of Group D to keep their hopes of reaching the quarterfinals alive.

Thailand U23 are determined to defeat China.

In their second match on January 11th, the Thailand U23 team secured a crucial 1-1 draw against Iraq U23, thus maintaining their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.

After two rounds of matches, Group D is witnessing a fierce race for qualification: China U23 leads with 4 points, Australia has 3 points, Iraq has 2 points, and Thailand is last with 1 point. Despite being in a disadvantageous position, Thailand U23 still has control over their own destiny. If they defeat China in the final match, the Southeast Asian representative will secure a place in the quarterfinals, replicating their achievement from the 2020 tournament.

Ahead of the crucial match, the Thailand U23 team faces serious personnel losses. The team from the Land of Smiles will be without two important key players: Phon-Ek Maneekorn Jensen and Thanawut Phochai.

Specifically, Maneekorn was suspended for two matches by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after receiving a red card in the match against Australia and also had to pay a $1,000 fine, while key striker Thanawut Phochai was absent due to accumulating too many yellow cards. This shortage significantly affected both the defensive and offensive strength of the Thailand U23 team.

Thailand U23 (right) must win against China. Photo: AFC

Conversely, the Chinese U23 team holds a clear advantage and a comfortable psychological momentum. They have 4 points after a draw against Iraq and a surprising 1-0 victory against Australia. A draw against Thailand would be enough for China to advance beyond the group stage of the AFC U23 Asian Championship for the first time in history.

Nevertheless, the country's media remained cautious, praising the spirit and playing style of the Thai U23 team, which, despite having only one point, always played with great courage.

The match between Thailand U23 and China U23 is considered a true battle for survival. With the fighting spirit they showed against Iraq U23, the Thailand U23 team hopes for the best possible result against China to squeeze through the narrow gap.

Source: https://znews.vn/truc-iep-u23-thai-lan-vs-trung-quoc-post1619505.html