"Thailand U23 National Team" lost to "Japan" but looks positively at the experience, gaining insight into how a "world-class team" plays!","tags":["football","Thailand U23","Japan U21","sports"]
Japan U21 defeated Thailand U23 3-0. We have to admit that we were inferior to them in every aspect."tags":["football","match result","Thailand U23","Japan U21"]
Japan had 25 shots on goal, while Thailand had only 1 shot (by Atthaphon Saengthong).","tags":["statistics","football","shots on goal"]
Japan controlled possession for more than 60% of the game.","tags":["possession","football"]
They pressed high against Thailand from the start to the end of the match. When losing the ball, they quickly tried to regain possession, often pressing Thailand with 2-3 players to recover the ball almost every time. Their play was consistently one or two steps faster than ours.","tags":["football tactics","pressing","speed"]
Although this team is under 21 years old, with three players from university teams.","tags":["football","team composition","Japan U21"]
Fifteen players were brought from the 2026 U23 Asian Cup championship squad, showing their class is outstanding for their age and far beyond the Asian level at under 21.","tags":["football","Japan U21","Asian Cup","player development"]
Thailand conceded 3 goals in this game. For me, it's not damaging because it serves as a lesson.","tags":["football","match analysis","Thailand U23"]
What needs to be improved includes things like: ","tags":["football","improvement"]
1. Ball clearance: If we don’t clear properly against a team of this level, we risk conceding immediately.","tags":["football tactics","defense"]
2. How to play when many key players such as Yosakorn Burapha, Thanakrit Chotmuangpak, Sorawat Phosaman, Sittha Boonla, and Chonphat Buapan are absent.","tags":["team strategy","player availability"]
3. Understanding the gap between Thailand’s standards and the number one team in Asia.","tags":["football standards","team comparison"]
I commend Coach Wang for daring to let the youngsters try short passes from the back to the front yesterday, testing how we handle pressing from a top-level team. We tried to play in our own style as much as possible.","tags":["coach strategy","football tactics"]
As for China, Thailand’s opponent in the quarterfinals, they have faced Japan before in the U23 Asian Cup final earlier this year. Did you know China is the only team that went through the group stage to the semifinals—five matches—without conceding a goal (something even Japan didn’t achieve)? But in the final, Japan scored 4 goals at once, more than Thailand conceded.","tags":["football","China U23","Asian Cup","match history"]
When Thailand faces China, I still believe that if we don’t concede early, we have a chance to narrowly win because China’s offense is not very strong. In the U23 Asian Cup group stage, they scored only one goal in three matches: a win over Australia, and draws against Thailand and Iraq 0-0.","tags":["match preview","football strategy"]
In the quarterfinals, China won on penalties against Uzbekistan 4-2 (after a 0-0 draw in 120 minutes), beat Vietnam 3-0 in the semifinals, then lost 4-0 to Japan in the final. Overall, they scored just 4 goals in 6 matches during the tournament.","tags":["football statistics","China U23"]
We have a chance to reach the semifinals! It depends on how well this young team performs.","tags":["football","Thailand U23","tournament outlook"]
Fans can cheer on the team via Thairath TV Channel 32 on 26 September at 13:00.","tags":["broadcast","fan engagement","football"]}]}]}