Thais to face Aussies in Women’s Asian Cup semis
>> Thailand’s opponents in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2018 semi-finals will be Australia, who held Japan to a 1-1 draw to finish as Group B winners on Friday night.
Title-holders Japan, as Group B runners-up, will meet China in the other semi-final.
Both games will take place on Tuesday, with Thailand taking Australia at 8.45pm (Thai time) at the King Abdullah II Stadium, followed by the China v Japan match at midnight at the same venue.
All four teams have automatically qualified for next year’s Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Having both finished third in their respective groups, South Korea and the Philippines will enter tomorrow’s play-off for fifth and sixth place, with the winners also assured of a ticket to France 2019.
Australia, who were runners-up at the previous championship, won the Asian title in 2010 while Thailand’s best result was a third-place finish in 1986.
Coach Nuengrutai Srathongvian, who made history on Thursday night by leading Thailand to their second straight World Cup, admitted that the Australia match will be a difficult one after her team lost to the Matildas 5-0 in a warm-up game last month.
“We know it will be difficult but we will try to do better against them this time,” said Nuengrutai. “We have the experience of playing against them so we will just have to be patient and keep our concentration.”
The coach added she may rest some of the first-team players.
“Some of our first-teamers are carrying minor injuries from playing all the first round games so I may have to rest some of them and play those who are fully fit,” said Nuengrutai.
Meanwhile Nuengrutai added that absence of Suchawadee Nildhamrong will not affect the team’s preparation.
The US-raised forward returned to the States to continue her studies after helping the team secure their World Cup ticket.
“There are many players who can play in her position as centre forward including Kanjana Sung-Ngeon,” added the coach.
Kanjana was Thailand’s hero in their victory over the Philippines, scoring twice in their 3-1 victory.
Meanwhile, Nualphan Lamsam had some more good news for the players a day after the team received the 20-million-baht bonus for booking their World Cup spot.
The team manager revealed that Thailand’s duty free magnate and Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was in attendance in Amman on Thursday, will take the team on a trip to England where they will have a chance to see the Foxes play.
“Khun Vichai hopes to take the team to watch Leicester City play their home game against West Ham on May 5,” said Nualphan. “Hopefully the schedule will work out.”