Suzuki Cup: Thailand beat Philippines 2-1; Thai, S'poreans through to semis
Thailand and Singapore have become the first teams to progress to the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-finals after Thailand beat the Philippines 2-1 at the National Stadium on Tuesday (Dec 14) to make it three wins out of three Group A matches.
This is the Lions' first semi-final berth since 2012, when they won the tournament.
Thailand are now top of Group A on nine points and hosts Singapore have six points after beating Myanmar 3-0 and the Philippines 2-1. With head-to-head criteria used to rank teams that are level on points, Myanmar and the Philippines - both currently on three points - can no longer overtake the Lions with just one group match remaining.
Tatsuma Yoshida's men will take on cellar-dwellers Timor-Leste later in the day at the same venue, before meeting Thailand on Saturday to decide who will top the group.
In a dull first half which saw Thailand dominating the Philippines, the one moment of brilliance arrived mid-way when left-back Teerathon Bunmathan delivered a pinpoint cross which Teerasil Dangda confidently volleyed home in the 26th minute.
The venomous strike is his 18th goal in the Asean Football Federation Championship since his first in 2008. He has now overtaken former Singapore striker Noh Alam Shah, who had amassed 17 goals, as the competition's all-time top scorer.
However, the Azkals hit back 11 minutes into the second half. Thailand could not clear their lines from a set-piece and Patrick Reichelt pounced to poke home the loose ball.
The War Elephants made three substitutions in the 75th minute, and one of them, midfielder Thitiphan Puangjan, won a penalty just a minute later after being upended by Amani Aguinaldo. Up stepped Man of the Match Teerasil to blast in the spot-kick with aplomb to settle the match.
ANALYSIS
As expected, Thailand have won their first three group matches rather comfortably.
Teerasil, now this edition's joint-top scorer with four goals alongside Malaysia's Safawi Rasid, is still a class act at Asean level despite being 33, with the steady supply from the likes of playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin in the centre of the park and full-backs Narubadin Weerawatnodom and Teerathon from wide positions.
However, one possible chink in their armour seems to their set-piece defending, which Singapore can exploit having already scored thrice from such scenarios in two games.
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