Obb Deewajin
Football Tribe Thailand
Theerathon Set for Return – There are no reported injuries within the Thai squad and the team has flown straight to Vietnam from Malaysia. Theerathon Bunmathan was greatly missed as the War Elephants were clawed down by the Harimau Malaya. Free from his suspension, the Yokohama F. Marinos left-back can now return to add much-needed composure and creativity at the back. The players are disappointed by their performances at the Bukit Jalil, some even more so than the result itself, and the mood within the camp is reported to very focused and determined.
Quang Hai and Tien Linh the danger man – Vietnam was fantastic in their victory over UAE and the squad’s confidence will no doubt be at its highest point. Both sides were evenly matched last time they faced each other in Bangkok so the home crowd will play an important part in My Dinh National Stadium. Yet, Thailand is unbeaten in their last four visits to Vietnam – a pretty decent record. As for the players to watch, Nguyen Quang Hai will always pose a threat with his ability to create something from nothing. Striker Nguyen Tien Linh, who netted the winner against UAE, also had a decent game and nearly scored in the opening seconds of the match when Vietnam picked up a point at the Thammasat Stadium. The pace and flair of the Malaysian attackers caused the Thai all sorts of trouble on Thursday night and Tien Linh, with his quality, could do a similar job in this colossal clash.
Player to Watch – Manuel Bihr: Over 84% of Football Tribe Thailand’s readers voted Manuel Bihr as the best Thai player from the defeat to Malaysia. The powerful defender was strong in the air and made a handful of last-ditch tackles to help out the side. Conceding early in Hanoi could be disastrous and Bihr, who is as close to a guaranteed starter as any player can be, is the key man to stop that from happening. It’ll be interesting who Akira Nishino chooses to partner Bihr, after the disappointing experiment with Elias Dolah.
Final Thoughts and Prediction: I could see Akira Nishino adopting a more conservative approach, especially after the results in Kuala Lumpur. Most fans would take a point away but with Vietnam topping the group, there are more reasons for Thailand to look for a win. Overall, a draw is the most likely outcome.