Meeting Indonesia In The AFF U-23 Cup Semifinals, Thailand Forgets The Defeat At The 2023 SEA Games

Isssara Sritaro (right) as Thailand U-23 coach. (Photo: Doc. PSSI)

JAKARTA - Thailand will face Indonesia in the semifinals of the AFF U-23 Cup, Thursday, August 25 at 20.00 WIB. Ahead of the meeting, Isssara Sritaro as the coach of Thailand U-23, tried to focus and forget the defeat to the Garuda Squad at the previous moment.

Thailand met Indonesia in the final of the 2022 SEA Games (2023). At that time the White Elephant Troops lost 2-5 after going through extra time. The meeting was hot and had been marked by chaos between players and team officials.

The moment of defeat to Indonesia was a tough blow for Thailand. Now when you have to meet again, Sritaro doesn't want to remember that bitter moment anymore.

According to him, the meeting in the semifinals of the AFF U-23 Cup is this new chapter that must be fought for diligently in order to produce victory.

"We remember (the meeting at the SEA Games) but we looked forward, didn't want to look back. It was over," Sritaro said in a press conference session quoted on Thursday, August 24.

Sritaro realized that his current composition of players and the SEA Games were clearly different. For the semifinals of the AFF U-23 Cup, Thailand could not appear with the best squad because there were only three players who were called up from the previous SEA Games squad.

Likewise with Indonesia, which was only strengthened by eight former SEA Games players. This situation made the two teams re-read each other's strengths, but Sritaro believes his team will move as well as possible.

"Thailand and Indonesia do not appear with a full squad, but I am sure all existing players will give 100 percent of their best abilities," said the coach.

However, there is one advantage that can be an additional strength for Chang Suek's troops. The reason is that in the semifinal match they will appear in front of their own supporters and are used to the weather and the field used.

"The field, the weather, supporters will be able to support the performance of the players. This will be a good match and both teams will appear equally strong," concluded Sritaro.