AFF FUTSAL 2012: Thais top group to set-up semis showdown with Malaysia, Vietnam will battle Indonesia

AFF FUTSAL 2012: Thais top group to set-up semis showdown with Malaysia, Vietnam will battle Indonesia

APRIL 23, 2012

BANGKOK (23 April 2012) – After breezing through their first three matches and scoring a whopping 67 goals, Thailand faced their toughest opponents today in the form of a young and spirited Indonesian side.


Thailand claimed victory today but it did not come easy as Indonesia battled them all the way and restricted them to a 6-1 win at the Bangkok Thonburi Stadium this evening.

“This is the type of game I wanted. The first few matches were too easy, the players learn nothing,” said Victor Hermans, the chief coach of Thailand.


Thailand, seven-time AFF Futsal champions, have thus completed their fixtures with maximum points and are the Group B winners. The hosts will now face Malaysia, runners-up in the other group, in the semifinals on Wednesday.


Indonesia will take on Group A champions Vietnam in the other semis battle.


Thailand had a good start as nippy striker Kritsada Wongkaeo snatched possession away from a defender and rammed his team ahead. If the crowd was expecting the goals to flow in as in previous games, they were wrong as the Indonesians held their ground.


Skipper Randhyas Syamsul Bahri did a fine job marshalling his team but the skilful playmaker could only do so much against the massive Thai onslaught.


In the sixth minute, there was a bit of a scramble in front of goal and Apiwat Chaemcharoen somehow managed to flick it in. And then in the 10th minute, star player Suphawut Thueanklang, who usually has a knack for scoring early goals, finally got his name on the scoresheet. It was a brilliant goal as he latched on to a corner kick at the top of
the box and first-timed his shot in.

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