It’s confirmed: Chanathip to miss World Cup qualifier
Thailand coach Akira Nishino will be taking the War Elephants into their third 2022 World Cup Asian zone qualifier with the UAE on Oct 15 without key playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin.
Chanathip picked up an injury while warming up for a J-League match for his club Consadole Sapporo on Friday night. He has been advised a two-week rest.
Nishino has yet to name a replacement for Chanathip, saying he needs to “discuss the matter and the available options with the staff coaches first”.
Nishino, who is Japanese, said he had a conversation with Consadole Sapporo staff coach Shiraki Yohe and was told that Chanathip “needs around 14 days’ rest” to recover from his muscular sprains.
With just a little more than a week left before Thailand take on the UAE, the seeded team in Group G, at Thammasat Stadium, Nishino said: “I have allowed Chanathip to withdraw from the national team for our third World Cup qualifying game.”
Meanwhile, the first set of national team players reported for training yesterday.
They are Teerasil Dangda, Sarach Yooyen, Adisorn Promrak, Pansa Hemviboon, Korrakot Wiriyaudomsiri, Naruebodin Weerawatnodom, Supachok Sarachart, Supachai Chaided, Suphanat Muenta, Manuel Tom Bihr, Nitipong Selanon, Elias Dolah and Tanaboon Ketsarat.
Other players and foreign-based stars Theerathon Bunmathan and Kawin Thamsatchanan will join the camp today.
Thailand top the Group G table with four points after a home draw with Vietnam and an away victory over Indonesia. The UAE, who have a match in hand, are joint second with Malaysia, both having three points each.
Thailand will play a warm-up game with Congo on Thursday.