Defending champion Thailand created a shocking storm at Hang Day Stadium, Cambodia

DRECRUITMENT CSHOCKING AMPACIA

Despite decline over the past 6 years after finishing runner-up at the 2018 AFF Cup, the Malaysian team is still rated higher than rival Cambodia in the opening match of the 2024 AFF Cup held yesterday, December 8. The reason is because the Cambodian team also fell into crisis at the end of coach Felix Dalmas’s tenure, when they were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers (lost to Pakistan) and 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers (lost to Sri Lanka). Poor performance makes the team nicknamed “Angkor Warriors” lose confidence.

However, the appearance of 6 naturalized players, including African-born striker Abdel Kader Coulibaly, has helped Cambodia progress. In the match against Malaysia at the Olympic Stadium, Cambodia played on par, even pressuring Malaysia at times. Coach Koji Gyotoku’s students deployed the ball coherently, with many diverse attack solutions thanks to the strikers who know how to press, sweep and run hard.

Despite losing 0-1 in the first half, Cambodia still maintained a stable pace of play and confidently controlled the play. The 8 minutes from Coulibaly’s equalizer to Sa Ty’s close-range finish (from minute 52 to 60) is the time when Cambodian fans can soar and dream, when coach Gyotoku’s team played extremely well, almost “swept away” Malaysia with enthusiasm and desire to win.

The reality in recent AFF Cups is that despite defeats, the Cambodian team still maintains the philosophy of playing in control and weaving the ball confidently and technically. Mr. Gyotoku’s students do not retreat deeply to defend even when facing Indonesia, Thailand or Malaysia, but are ready to attack fairly. Persistence with fighting methods helps Cambodia reap “sweet fruits”. With naturalized players filling the missing positions, the Cambodian team has become a different team.

Cambodia’s transformation, even in just one match, also shows the interesting features of Southeast Asian football. All teams are trying to rise up with their own philosophies and methods, whether they are teams from Cambodia, Myanmar or Laos, which are teams that are used to… lining the way in the group stage. Therefore, standing still means going backwards. Cambodia lost victory when Malaysia equalized in the second half of the second half, but with what they showed, Mr. Gyotoku’s team will make the race in Group A worth watching.

STHE ABSOLUTE POWER OF TPICK LAN

Unlike Malaysia, the Thai team did not let any surprises appear in the opening match. In the match between the most traditional team in the AFF Cup and the weakest team in the tournament (only with tickets after passing the play-off round) at Hang Day Stadium, Thailand rained goals against Timor Leste.

Coach Masatada Ishii has not fielded the strongest team, but with stars like Ben Davies, Suphanat Muenta, Patrik Gustavsson… Thailand still completely controlled the match and easily scored 10 goals against Timor Leste, especially with Up to 4 goals were scored in just 28 minutes of the first half (from minute 4 to minute 32). Suphanat, Davies and Seksan Ratree or Gustavsson have all cleared the air, not to mention new faces like Nicolas Mickelson, Akarapong Pumwisat or Anan Yodsangwal, all bringing satisfaction to Mr. Ishii when playing enthusiastically and following tactics, contributing to Helped Thailand create a “hurricane” to blow away the Timor Leste team at Hang Day Stadium.

The ability to dribble the ball fluently, attack diversely and skillfully with open lines combined with attacking in the middle has shown some of Thailand’s strength. Without the brightest stars, the “war elephant” still rocks. At the same time, with tall naturalized players, notably Gustavsson, Thailand not only plays short and small like before, but can also kick long and high when needed. Being equipped with many playing styles helps Thailand to decode the opponent’s styles, in a context where Indonesia is different from before, and the Vietnamese team is also in a phase of generation and philosophical transition.

In the second match taking place on December 11, Thailand will have a rest. Malaysia returns to Bukit Jalil’s home ground to welcome Timor Leste, while Singapore competes with Cambodia.