AFF WOMEN’S: Laos Need To Raise Game Play

HO CHI MINH CITY (18 Sept 2012) – Laos will be up against a gargantuan task tomorrow and they will have to raise the level of their game several notches as they face defending champions Thailand in the final match of Group B of the AFF Women’s Championship.

Both Laos and Thailand have picked up points from Malaysia and while they will be eager to outdo one another so as to finish the group stage on top, neither of their opponents from the other group – Vietnam or Myanmar – will be any easier, either way.

“It will be hard against Thailand,” said Doungsay Lattana, Laos assistant coach. “We will have to change tactics if we want to avoid a beating.

“For this year’s campaign, we are struggling somewhat because we have had to use ten new players because some of them from last year, stopped playing. That is why we struggled against Malaysia in the first game. We were lucky, another ten minutes; I think we would have lost the game.

“Thailand might also have changed players but they still have the quality. They have good individual players and we must shut them down.”

In the meantime Thailand are not taking anything for granted when they face Laos. After putting up a convincing performance against Malaysia, they will once again look to put up a strong show in the last group game.

The Thais, the defending champions of the AFF Women’s Tournament, have had to bring new players from their Under-19 squad following the unavailability of a handful of players due to injuries and retirements.

But the core of the team is still there and they seem to be controlling all the action for the Thais.

“We are looking at improving from game to game but the important factor is that no matter who we play against, we must show respect and not take anyone for granted,” said Piyakul Kawnamkang, the chief coach of Thailand.

“Of course we would like to defend the crown we won last year but we have to look at the match against Laos first before thinking of our semi-final opponents.”

 

AFF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP 2012

(All matches at Thong Nhat Stadium)

GROUP A: Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines

GROUP B: Thailand, Laos, Malaysia