Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul shared his thoughts after the Thailand national team decisively defeated Hong Kong in the men's football group stage match 2 of Asian Games 2026.
On 18 Sep 2026, Coach Wang, Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, spoke after the War Elephants, Thailand’s national football team, routed Hong Kong with a commanding 5-1 score in the men's football group stage match 2 of Asian Games 2026.
Recently, Coach Wang, Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, said, "I don’t like it when the opponent takes the lead first, but when our initial plan didn’t work well, we had a second plan ready. The players executed it well. I’m very pleased with this team’s spirit. Since taking charge, everyone has been committed to staying united, both on and off the field. As I’ve always said, belief will lead them to success. No matter the situation, as long as the referee hasn’t ended the match, everyone keeps giving their all."
"We planned ahead regarding player selection for each match and managing commitments with their clubs. We prepared rotation from the first match, having plan one and plan two. After two games, we’ve succeeded in securing 6 points, which is great. Facing Japan will be beneficial for the players. If we want to raise our level, we have to be able to compete against Japan."
"I sincerely thank the fans, whether they traveled from Thailand or are working in Japan. Fans are a crucial source of support, the 12th player on the field. Japanese fans have warmly welcomed us, as have all fans cheering and supporting this Thailand national team."
For the next match, Coach Wang, Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, is scheduled to lead the team against the Samurai Blue, host nation Japan, in the men's football group stage, Group A, match 3 at Toyota Stadium, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on 23 September 2026. Kickoff is at 17:30 Thailand time.
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