MALACCA (4 June 2016) – Favourites Thailand showed that they will still be the team to beat at next year’s SEA Games when they destroyed Vietnam 2-0 at the Nations Cup in Malacca as they now look to take on hosts Malaysia in the final tomorrow.
The tournament which is being used as a test to see the level of teams ahead of the biennial championship in August 2017 saw Thailand – the back to back champions of the SEA Games – showing their dominations over an eager Vietnam side.
Under hot conditions at the Hang Jebat Stadium, Nattawut Sombatyotha grabbed the lead for the Thais after just six minutes of play following a clever pass from Chaiyawat Buran.
The team under former Thai international Worrawot Srimaka then completed the win with the second goal in the 72nd minute when substitute Pravee Tantataemee nodded home the freekick from Chaowat Veerachat.
“The performance was not as good as what I had expected but I believe that the players will be much better in the final,” said Thai team manager Watanya Wongopasi.
IN THE MEANTIME, hosts Malaysia delivered what was expected of them when they beat Singapore 3-0 in the second game of the evening.
Just four minutes in, Muhd Safawi Rasid got the simplest of tap-ins when Singapore keeper Muhd Zharfan Rohaizad failed to make a clean save of a freekick from striker Muhd Jafri Muhd Firdaus Chew.
With the score at just 1-0 at the break, the introduction of Muhd Syafiq Ahmad produced the right result when he pounced on a defensive mistake from the Singapore backline to score.
The Malaysians then completed the rout with the third goal of the game through Nur Syamie Iszuan who made good on a cross from Mohd Farhan Roslan seven minutes to the end.
