Teamwork leads to victory
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
TEAMWORK and experience were the keys to victory for the Thailand Under-21 team, winning the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy for Association of Southeast Asian Youth Football Championship 5-4 on penalties against Myanmar on Sunday night to defend their title.
Though the team trained for the biennial tournament for only nine days before arriving in Brunei on March 1, the players that made up the side that won the trophy at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium two nights ago have been together for nearly two years.
Under the expert tutelage of head coach, Kawin Kaehendecha, the tournament's favourites provided no surprises when they won all of their matches in convincing fashion.
Joint top scorers with Myanmar both teams scored 21 goals in four games the Thais didn't take their opponents for granted, in the match which saw no goals in both regulation and extra time.
The tournament's top scorer Si Thu Tuan ironically missed the penalty that ensured the Thais the trophy for the second straight year, and Kaehendecha was on the money when he said that his team were lucky to have won the game on penalties shots.
But luck alone didn't carry them to the final, and their self-assured passing combined with moments of individual skill from certain players was a joy to watch.
Key players such as forwards Naruphol Ar-Romsawa and Sakarin Chanyotha who are in the Everton FC youth team were the talk of the town with their impressive displays against Singapore and Malaysia in the group stage.
Captain Chokchai Chuchai was a rock in defence, winger Anawin Jujeen was a constant menace on the right with his pin-point crosses, and goalie Sompong Yod-Ard made many crucial saves, winning the tournament's best player award in the process.
But Thailand's success didn't rest solely on the shoulders of the performances of a select few, evident by the fact that seven different players got their names on the score sheet when Thailand thrashed Cambodia 10-1 in the semi-finals.
Playing in a 3-5-2 formation, the Thais were capable of controlling any game with their short, smooth passing in midfield, their long ball tactic supplemented by tenacious defending crushed many opponents.
The team will represent their country in December's SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, and in next year's Olympics in Beijing.
The future is bright for the group of youngsters that found glory on Sunday.
The Brunei Times
Though the team trained for the biennial tournament for only nine days before arriving in Brunei on March 1, the players that made up the side that won the trophy at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium two nights ago have been together for nearly two years.
Under the expert tutelage of head coach, Kawin Kaehendecha, the tournament's favourites provided no surprises when they won all of their matches in convincing fashion.
Joint top scorers with Myanmar both teams scored 21 goals in four games the Thais didn't take their opponents for granted, in the match which saw no goals in both regulation and extra time.
The tournament's top scorer Si Thu Tuan ironically missed the penalty that ensured the Thais the trophy for the second straight year, and Kaehendecha was on the money when he said that his team were lucky to have won the game on penalties shots.
But luck alone didn't carry them to the final, and their self-assured passing combined with moments of individual skill from certain players was a joy to watch.
Key players such as forwards Naruphol Ar-Romsawa and Sakarin Chanyotha who are in the Everton FC youth team were the talk of the town with their impressive displays against Singapore and Malaysia in the group stage.
Captain Chokchai Chuchai was a rock in defence, winger Anawin Jujeen was a constant menace on the right with his pin-point crosses, and goalie Sompong Yod-Ard made many crucial saves, winning the tournament's best player award in the process.
But Thailand's success didn't rest solely on the shoulders of the performances of a select few, evident by the fact that seven different players got their names on the score sheet when Thailand thrashed Cambodia 10-1 in the semi-finals.
Playing in a 3-5-2 formation, the Thais were capable of controlling any game with their short, smooth passing in midfield, their long ball tactic supplemented by tenacious defending crushed many opponents.
The team will represent their country in December's SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, and in next year's Olympics in Beijing.
The future is bright for the group of youngsters that found glory on Sunday.
The Brunei Times
Business Besides Oil
