Thailand loses fourth consecutive match in World Cup qualifiers

Coach Kiatisuk Senamuang and his team lost 0-4 to Iraq, stuck at the bottom of Group B.

Thailand is the only team from Southeast Asia to make it to the final qualifying round of the 2018 World Cup in Asia. Fans from the land of the Golden Temple proudly carry the banner "World Cup is no longer a dream" and travel everywhere to cheer for coach Kiatisuk and his team.

But with four consecutive losses against Saudi Arabia, Japan, UAE and Iraq today, the ticket to Russia to attend the 2018 world football festival is increasingly out of reach for Thailand.

In the second qualifying round, Iraq and Thailand were in the same group. The first and second leg matches saw the Thai team play on par with their opponents, ending in a 2-2 draw. However, when they met again in the third qualifying round, coach Kiatisuk and his team could no longer maintain their form, playing below their opponents and quickly conceding two goals in the first half.

In the seventh minute, Thailand's net shook. After a corner kick, Saad Abdulameer and Alaa Abdulzehra headed the ball to Mahanad Abdulraheem, who finished close to the goal to open the score.

Thailand have yet to get a point after four matches.

At the neutral PAS Stadium in Iran, Thailand’s worst player was Koravit Namwiset. The defender was constantly being passed on the right flank and it was in this situation that Iraq got their second goal. After a cross from his teammate, Ahmed Yaseen Gheni headed the ball against the post from less than two metres out. However, the number 9 immediately fired a rebound that the Thai goalkeeper could not hold, giving Abdulraheem the chance to score the second goal.

Only luck prevented Thailand from conceding another goal in the first half. In the 29th minute, an Iraqi player deliberately touched the ball with his foot instead of letting it go into the net after a teammate's shot, causing the referee to call it offside. At the end of the half, Iraq had another unbelievable miss when four of their players were facing goalkeeper Kawin, but then Ahmed Yaseen Gheni's shot went wide of the post.

Abdulraheem (number 8) was the hero of Iraq when he scored four close-range goals.

In the second half, Thailand played better, creating a number of dangerous opportunities towards Iraq's goal. However, coach Kiatisuk and his team not only failed to score but also continuously lost players.

In the 69th minute, defender Koravit Namwiset ended his miserable day by being sent off for a foul. A few minutes later, Drathum Chutong was unable to continue playing after being pushed down by Ahmed Yaseen Gheni, hitting goalkeeper Kawin and causing serious injury.

Due to running out of substitutions, Thailand had to play with nine players. With such a force, it was inevitable that Coach Kiatisuk's team would concede another goal. Abdulraheem added another goal in the 86th minute and the fourth extra time, sealing a 4-0 victory for Iraq and completing his own poker.

According to VNE