Thailand face India with Asian Cup spot on the line
ฺฺThailand and India head into Saturday's winners-take-all Group B tie level on points and goal difference after both teams recorded three successive wins. In case of a draw, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout.
The winners of the eight qualifying groups will join the four seeded teams in next year's finals.
"We are 100 percent ready for the final match with India. It will be a great game that is worth watching," said Thailand goalkeeper Tiffany Sornpao before a training session on Friday.
"The Indian team have strong and fast players. They also have good tactics and have been playing very well in this tournament.
"My personal goal is to end the tournament without conceding a goal but the most important thing is we want to beat India tomorrow [today].
"We will try our best to win the match and qualify for the finals," she added.
The Thailand v India match will kick off at 7.30pm and will be broadcast live on the Changsuek YouTube channel and the Thai Women's Football Facebook page.
Timor Leste and Mongolia will face off in the other group game at 4pm.
Thawatchai made coach
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) has officially appointed former Thailand midfielder Thawatchai Dumrong-ongtrakul as head coach of the U23 national team.
Thawatchai replaced Japanese coach Takayuki Nishikaya, whose contract has been terminated following a run of five straight losses.
Thawatchai is an experienced coach with spells at Chiang Rai United, Pattaya United, Bangkok United, Chainat Hornbill, PT Prachuap and Nongbua Pitchaya. He led Chonburi to the Thailand League 2 title last season.
His work will begin at the Asean U23 Championship (Mandiri Cup) in Indonesia from July 15-29.
Thailand, who are in Group C, will face Timor Leste on July 19 and then take on Myanmar three days later.
Buriram get Cong An again
Defending champions Buriram United will face Vietnam's Cong An Ha Noi in the group stage of the Asean Club Championship (Shopee Cup) after a draw ceremony for the 2025/26 season yesterday.
Buriram were crowned the first-ever Asean Club champions after they beat Cong An in a penalty shootout following a 5-5 aggregate draw in the two-leg final of the inaugural tournament in May.
The other teams in Group A are BG Pathum United, Malaysia's Selangor, Singapore's Tampines Rovers and the winners of playoff 1 between Brunei's Kasuka and Philippines' Dynamic Herb Cebu.
Bangkok United are in Group B along with Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta-Zim, Vietnam's Nam Dinh, Singapore's Lion City Sailors, Cambodia's PKR Svay Rieng and the winners of playoff 2 between Laos' Ezra and Myanmar's Shan United.
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