VIENTIANE (15 July 2011) – Thailand finished at the top of Group A in the AFF Under-16 Youth Championship when they held hosts Laos to a 1-1 draw in the final group match here at the National Stadium in Vientiane.
Laos finish the preliminary group stage as the runners-up team.
Both teams finished first and second in Group A with similar eight points although Thailand won the group on superior seven goal difference as against Laos’ four.
The two teams will now have to wait for the results of the final Group B match tomorrow before knowing who they will play against in the semi-finals of this year’s meet in two days.
“It was a good result for us. It is a fair result. But the performance could have been better,” said Sasom Probprasert, the chief coach of Thailand.
“We wasted so many chances and it is one area which we definitely have to improve.”
With the incessant rain from the previous night, the quality of the game was always going to be affected although luckily enough there were not any dangerous tackles being committed by either team.
But as Laos were all eager to go for the goal in front of their more than 10,000 fans, it was the Thais who went in front when Saran Puangbut unleashed a 20-metre stinger which came off the crossbar and went into goal beyond the reach of Laos keeper Vathana Keoduangdeth.
Laos finished the first half with a rifling shot from Jo Sandala which forced Thai keeper Apirak Worawong to pushed it out while three minutes later, Thailand could have gone two goals up but striker Sittichok Kannoo failed to put the ball into the net with just Vathana to beat.
The second half continued very much on the same vein as it had in the first half as Laos made several changes to introduce a more attacking line-up.
The home team piled on the pressure but the two Thai centrebacks – Kitsana Seangdouangphachan and Armisay Kettavong – were excellent in repelling the foraging runs of Anousay Nyavong and Sonevilay Sihavong.
In the 67th minute, Laos again came close with the equalizer when Sonevilay outwitted Apirak but his attempt was cleared on the line by Jutitep Tonglim.
However three minutes to the end, there was no denying Laos the well-deserved equalizer when a mis-kick from Apirak allowed Armisay to pounce on the ball before calmly putting it away to put the score back on level terms.
“It was important that we did not lose this game in front of our home fans,” added Han Hyong Il, the chief coach of Laos.
“The semi-final will be a different game.”
THAILAND: Apirak Worawong (GK), Rachen Sobunma, Jeerawut Kulchart, Nattawut Sombatyotha, Amnart Pamornprasert (Cpt), Supravee Miprathang, Saran Puangbut, Jutitep Tonglim, Saksit Kaengkham, Chaowat Veerachat, Sittichok Kannoo
Coach: Sasom Probprasert
Goalscorers: Saran Puangbut (5th)
Yellow: Jutitep Tonglim (16th), Supravee Miprathang (60th)
Red: nil
LAOS: Vathana Keoduangdeth (GK), Xouxana Sihalath, Armisay Kettavong, Thanin Phanthavong, Sonevilay Sihavong (Cpt), Sisawad Dalavong, Chittakone Sithavong, Saisongkham Sumphonphukdee, Anousay Nyavong, Souvilay Manychan, Jo Sandala.
Coach: Han Hyong Il
Goalscorers: Armisay Kettavong (87th)
Yellow: Saisongkham Sumphonphukdee (50th)
Red: nil
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Sukhbir Singh (Sin)
Assistant Referee 1: Mohamad Faizal Abas (Sin)
Assistant Referee 2: Roberto Hernandez (Phi)
Fourth Official: U Win Htut (Mya)
Match Commissioner: Yei Htut Tin (Mya)
Referee Assessor: Yei Htut Tin (Mya)
General Coordinator: U Tin Aung (Mya)
TABLE STANDING
Group A
| TEAM |
P |
W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Thailand* | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| Laos* | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Malaysia | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Indonesia | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | -4 | 2 |
| Timor Leste | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 1 |
*Teams qualify to the Semi-Finals round
Group B
| TEAM |
P |
W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS |
| Myanmar | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Singapore | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Vietnam | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Cambodia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 4 |
| Philippines | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 19 | -17 | 0 |
FIXTURES and RESULTS
| Date | Match | Group | Match | Time | Venue | Result | ||
| No. | ||||||||
| 7-Jul-11 | 1 | A | Indonesia | vs | Timor Leste | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 3 – 3 |
| 2 | A | Malaysia | vs | Thailand | 1900 | 2 – 2 | ||
| 8-Jul-11 | 3 | B | Philippines | vs | Cambodia | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 1 – 2 |
| 4 | B | Singapore | vs | Vietnam | 1900 | 5 – 0 | ||
| 9-Jul-11 | 5 | A | Indonesia | vs | Malaysia | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 1 – 1 |
| 6 | A | Timor Leste | vs | Laos | 1900 | 0 – 2 | ||
| 10-Jul-11 | 7 | B | Cambodia | vs | Myanmar | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 1 – 1 |
| 8 | B | Philippines | vs | Singapore | 1900 | 0 – 5 | ||
| 11-Jul-11 | 9 | A | Thailand | vs | Timor Leste | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 6 – 1 |
| 10 | A | Laos | vs | Indonesia | 1900 | 2 – 0 | ||
| 12-Jul-11 | 11 | B | Myanmar | vs | Philippines | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 2 – 1 |
| 12 | B | Vietnam | vs | Cambodia | 1900 | 4 – 1 | ||
| 13-Jul-11 | 13 | A | Indonesia | vs | Thailand | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 0 – 2 |
| 14 | A | Malaysia | vs | Laos | 1900 | 1 – 1 | ||
| 14-Jul-11 | 15 | B | Singapore | vs | Myanmar | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 1 – 2 |
| 16 | B | Philippines | vs | Vietnam | 1900 | 0 – 10 | ||
| 15-Jul-11 | 17 | A | Timor Leste | vs | Malaysia | 1700 | Anouvong Std | 1 – 3 |
| 18 | A | Thailand | vs | Laos | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | 1 – 1 | |
| 16-Jul-11 | 19 | B | Cambodia | vs | Singapore | 1700 | Anouvong Std | |
| 20 | B | Vietnam | vs | Myanmar | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | ||
| 17-Jul-11 | Rest Day | |||||||
| 18-Jul-11 | 21 | SF1 | Thailand | vs | Runner-up B | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | |
| 22 | SF2 | Winner B | vs | Laos | 1900 | |||
| 19-Jul-11 | Rest Day | |||||||
| 20-Jul-11 | 23 | 3rd/4th | Loser SF1 | vs | Loser SF2 | 1700 | Nat. Sports Complex | |
| 24 | Final | Winner SF1 | vs | Winner SF 2 | 1900 | |||
| 21-Jul-11 | Departure of Teams & Officials | |||||||
