Fiona Nanna, ForeMedia News

2 minutes read. Updated 1:00PM GMT Fri, 5 July, 2024

In the finale of the Asean U16 Boys Championship held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday night, Thailand’s U16 team faced a devastating shoot-out loss against Australia, concluding the match 8-7 in favor of the Australians.

The match saw early excitement as Quinn Macnicol’s goal during first-half injury time nullified Poramet Laoongdi’s 33rd-minute strike, leading to a 1-1 stalemate at the end of 90 minutes. Australia’s Anthony Didulica appeared to have secured a lead at the 75-minute mark, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review that detected a handball. Thailand, too, nearly clinched victory during stoppage time, but a shot by Natthakit Phosri narrowly missed the target.

This loss marked the end of Thailand’s pursuit for a second Asean U16 title, following their initial victory in 2015. Reflecting on the match, Thailand’s coach Jadet Meelarp remarked, “First of all, we have to congratulate Australia for winning the tournament. Australia played well, and it was a very close game decided by a penalty shoot-out. For some of the boys, this was their first international tournament, so they were quite nervous. It’s a pity we didn’t win, but I have no regrets because every player fought hard from the first round and showed a good fighting spirit.”

In the third-place match, hosts Indonesia triumphed over Vietnam with a commanding 5-0 victory.

Looking ahead, Thailand’s U16 team will participate in the AFC U17 Championship qualifying round, scheduled to be held in Chon Buri from October 23-27. They are placed in Group D, alongside Brunei, India, and Turkmenistan. Coach Jadet emphasized the importance of preparation, stating, “We will have the AFC U17 Championship qualification round in October. When we get back to Thailand, we will discuss our preparation and training to build up the fitness of the players. Our goal is to qualify for the FIFA U17 World Cup finals.”

For more updates on international youth football tournaments and Thailand’s journey in upcoming matches, visit our sports section and stay connected through our social media channels.