Rakphol Sainetngam, head coach of Thailand's men's national futsal team, spoke after their 2-0 victory over Myanmar, bringing their total to a perfect six points and securing a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship.
Coach Mee said, “Looking at the actual game, we performed quite well and controlled the match. Today, we prepared thoroughly, but what made things difficult was our inability to convert chances into goals.”
“Overall, I am satisfied with the players, who have improved since the first match. The players have adapted well, especially some who recently got game time and performed better. However, the worrying issue is finishing, which we need to improve. We must stay calm in the final third.”
In the final group stage match in Group A, Thailand will face Vietnam. Coach Mee sees this as a battle of pride that they must win, but there will also be player rotation to ensure readiness for the semifinals.
“Vietnam is a good team and has played together for nearly two years. They are in good form with a strong understanding of the game. But the rivalry between Thailand and Vietnam carries real pride; it’s truly about honor.”
“For me, of course, I want to top the group, but we must rotate players because we need to conserve energy for the next round.”
“We will play the last match later than the others. Regardless of who we face next, our goal is victory. Whether Vietnam rests players or not, we will give our all because it is a matter of our pride.”
Thailand’s men's national futsal team will next compete in the third group stage match of Group A against Vietnam, ranked 20th in the world, at the Nonthaburi Provincial Gymnasium on 8 April 2026 at 20:00 GMT+7.