Thailand U-22 head coach Worrawoot Srimakha has prepared for the crucial match against Vietnam by resting many key players in the 2-0 win over the Philippines on Tuesday.
During the training sessions on Wednesday morning, Worrawoot spent a plenty of time urging his men to play with their greatest efforts in the Vietnam game.
“I understand that Vietnamese players are under enormous pressure from the media, but we are not,” he said to his squad, as quoted by Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper.
“Vietnam are obsessed with winning gold medals, but we just think about winning each match. That is the reason we will defeat them,” he added.
However, the defending champions will face a tougher task as their first-choice playmaker Chaiyawat Buran cannot play due to his two-match ban.
Their chances of making the SEA Games semi-finals would rest on the outcome of the Thursday game against Vietnam, who also have ten points but with better goal difference.