Number 1 candidate for the title of Top Scorer of AFF Cup 2018

Coach's beliefRajevac

Before coming to the AFF Cup 2018, striker Adisak Kraisorn had spent 5 years playing for the U23 team and the Thai national team with 27 appearances, scoring 19 goals. This striker played 126 matches in Thai League 1 for the top 3 clubs in the Thai championship: Buriram United, Police Tero and Muang Thong United, scoring 39 goals.

Standing at 1.80m tall and with perfect basic technique, striker Adisak Kraisorn has a playing style quite similar to veteran Anh Duc of the Vietnam national team. This player wearing the number 9 jersey plays simply, ready to kick at any time without needing too much momentum.

With a height of 1.80m and perfect basic technique, striker Adisak Kraisorn plays football quite similarly to veteran Anh Duc of the Vietnam national team. Photo: Internet

Because he is good at aerial combat, Adisak Kraisorn often acts as a wall for S.Dechmitr (29) or M.Tossakrai (11). When needed, Adisak Kraisorn is ready to play the role of "decoy duck" to give his teammates on the second line space to advance.

Adisak Kraisorn's form this season has not been good, after 8 matches he has still failed to score. Not only is his form poor, but Adisak Kraisorn almost missed the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup due to a ligament injury earlier this year.

But with 4 Thai players, including 2 strikers in Japan, Chanathip Songkrasin and Teerasil Dangda, unable to participate in the AFF Cup 2018, it was not until the "89th minute" that the Serbian coach of the Thai team, Mr. Milovan Rajevac, gave Kraisorn a chance after much consideration. Many Thai fans were worried about the attack when Dangda was absent, who had been the top scorer of the AFF Cup 3 times recently.

Positioned as the most advanced player in the 4-2-3-1 formation against Timor Leste on the opening day, Kraisor was the author of 6 goals in the devastating 7-0 victory. It took Adisak Kraisorn just 31 minutes to score his first hat-trick and another 26 minutes for his second.

Kraisorn's 6 goals with only 6 shots is a record in the history of the AFF Cup, an extremely high scoring efficiency and only less than the record of 7 goals scored by veteran striker Noh Alam Shah, a Singaporean who scored 7 goals in the match Singapore beat Laos 11-0 in the group stage of the 2007 AFF Cup.

Of the 6 goals, there was 1 header, 1 penalty and 4 goals from through balls from the second line for Adisak Kraisorn to score. With his superior physique and physical strength, Adisak Kraisorn easily competed with the Timor Leste players in speed situations. In fact, although he scored 6 goals,This striker does not struggle too much in scoring situations.

Double title

Immediately after the victory over Timor Leste, Adisak Kraisorn shared: “I never thought I would be in the final list of 23 players for the AFF Cup because I suffered a serious injury before and had just returned to competition not long ago. Therefore, I would like to thank coach Milovan Rajevac for his trust and I am very happy to have helped the Thai team start the AFF Cup with a victory.”

Kraisorn's 6 goals with only 6 shots is a record in AFF Cup history. Photo: Internet

The Thai team is full of opportunities to be present in the AFF Cup final. There are still many matches for Adisak Kraisorn to increase his number of goals beyond 6. Thai fans remember the AFF Cup 2007 when Noh Alam Shah, a Singaporean, scored 7 goals and then the Singapore team won the championship, and Noh Alam Shah won the Golden Boot with a total of 10 goals and was the best player of the tournament.

It is very likely that it will happen again in this tournament and Adisak Kraisorn will win a double like that with the "War Elephants" team!