Thailand Olympic dream of reaching the final of ASIAD 17 shattered

In the semi-final match on the afternoon of September 30, coach Kiatisuk Senamuang and his team lost 0-2 to Olympic Korea - the team that will compete for the gold medal in men's football with Olympic North Korea.

Before the semi-final, Coach Kiatisuk recalled the 2-1 victory over South Korea at the 1998 ASIAD to "dope the spirit" of the players. His team itself is in good form, having entered the semi-final with a perfect record, scoring 15 goals and conceding none.

Lee Jung Ho (white) headed the opening goal for Olympic Korea. Photo: Reuters.

However, that was not enough to make up for the difference in class. Right after the opening whistle, the Thai Olympic team had to brace themselves against the stormy attacks of the Korean Olympic team.

It seemed like they would stand firm against the storm, but in the 41st minute, the defense of the team from the Land of the Golden Pagodas lost focus and paid a heavy price. The two defenders in blue shirts followed Lee Jung Ho closely but still let this player head the ball into Kawin's net.

Just four minutes after the goal, centre-back Weerawatnodom made another mistake, fouling Lee Jae Sung from behind in the penalty area. Despite being under great pressure to retake the penalty, captain Jang Hyun Soo still beat the Thai goalkeeper to double the lead.

In the second half, Coach Kiatisuk gambled all in, instructing his players to push up their attacking formation. However, the Korean Olympic team proactively slowed down the tempo, gradually neutralizing the opponent's attacks.

Winning 2-0, the home team won the right to play in the final match for the gold medal in men's football at the 2014 Asian Games. Their opponent in the final match was Olympic brother North Korea, the team that defeated Olympic Iraq 1-0 in the previous semi-final match.

The defender punched the ball right on the goal line, and the crossbar also saved the goal once, but the Iraqi Olympic team only lasted until the end of the two regular periods. In the sixth minute of the first extra time, Ingwan Jong scored the opening goal for the Korean Olympic team. The same player received a red card about eight minutes later, putting the home team in a difficult position, but the result did not change.

According to VnExpress.net