"Coach Mee" admits Thailand still had mistakes despite a narrow 4-3 victory over Australia to reach the final against Indonesia in the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship.,
On 10 April 2026, "Coach Mee" Rakpol Sainetngam, head coach of Thailand's national futsal team, spoke after leading the team to a 4-3 win over Australia, securing a spot in the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship final against Indonesia. He acknowledged there are still many areas to improve despite the victory.
"I thank the players for their dedication and determination that ultimately led to our win. We started the first half poorly. In the second half, we tried to speed up our play, but it was still not as good as it should be. One positive was our set plays, which worked well."
When asked about the attacking chances in the second half and whether there were special instructions, the Thai national coach revealed,
"We instructed how to shoot against this goalkeeper, indicating which spots to target. The goal we conceded from a low shot was not due to a lack of instructions—just minor details we tried to communicate to the players."
Regarding the overall game ending 4-3, Coach Mee noted there were still mistakes, especially in attack.
"Overall, we made quite a few errors, particularly in offense. We had a decent start but not great. After scoring one goal, the players seemed to overthink, which sometimes made simple things unnecessarily complicated."
"At halftime, we talked, made adjustments, and told them to keep things as simple as possible on the field. In the final, we must eliminate these mistakes."
He also commented on the players' mindset, knowing the other semi-final result before their match.
"Before today's game, every player knew Indonesia had already reached the final. Of course, everyone wanted revenge, but it seemed that eagerness put some pressure on them. We tried to remind all players to focus fully on the game."
ASEAN Futsal Championship 2026 Final Schedule
12 April 2026
Indonesia vs Thailand at 8:00 PM
Gymnasium, Nonthaburi Provincial Sports Complex
Live broadcast on TrueVisions Now