Thailand kept South East Asia interest alive at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, by upsetting Jordan 2-0 to book a semifinal berth against Asian powerhouses and hosts South Korea.
Thailand had never beaten Jordan in six previous attempts -- the West Asian nation had won five games with one draw thrown in -- and, after beating China in the quarterfinal, South East Asian football has received a boost in pride despite no ASEAN country having secured qualification for January's AFC Asian Cup.
"Reaching the Asian Games semifinal is a fantastic achievement," Steve Darby, former Thailand under-23 coach and current assistant coach at the Indian Super League team Mumbai City FC, told ESPN FC. "Many of the players in the Asian Games have come through the Thailand Premier League (TPL) and as the league got stronger and better the players also did."
A strike in each half -- by creative midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin and winger Kroekrit Thawikan respectively -- ensured safe passage for Thailand, the surprise package of the tournament.
Songkrasin -- nicknamed 'Messi J' by his fans -- opened the scoring in the 37th minute with a thunderous strike from the edge of the penalty area. Thawikan netted in the 70th minute to culminate a fine attacking move in which the Jordanian defence had blocked two previous shots on target. The ball fell to Thawikan who executed a smart finish.
The Thailand team implemented coach Kiatisuk Senamuang's pre-game strategy perfectly by dominating the midfield with Charyl Chappuis continuing his excellent form -- and they were quick on the counter-attack as well.
Meanwhile, Thailand's defenders and their star goalkeeper, Kawin Thammasatchanan, who is one of the three permitted players above 23 in their squad, kept the physical threat of the Jordanian forwards at bay, especially from set pieces, and ensured that they finished the game with another clean slate.
The Thailand Football Association announced a one million Baht (approximately $31,000) bonus to the team for their quarterfinal triumph and an additional 300,000 Baht (approximately $9,300) each for the two goals they scored.
Thailand have reached the semifinal of the Asian Games three times but are yet to progress beyond the last-four stage. They now have the arduous task of defeating hosts South Korea for a spot in the final.
The hosts are hungry to end their 28-year title drought in the Asian Games after having overcome archrivals and fellow Asian heavyweights Japan 1-0 thanks to a late penalty converted by captain Jan Hyung-Soo, but Thailand will go into the match with confidence stemming from their perfect defensive record and the scoring form of striker Adisak Kraisorn, who will look to add to the five goals he has scored in the competition.