Thailand Coach Alexandre Polking Counts On Chanathip Songkrasin To Fight Indonesia

Thailand national team footballer Kritsada Kaman (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Thailand national team coach Alexandre Polking praised his squad's attacking midfielder, Chanathip Songkrasin ahead of the 2020 AFF Cup final second leg match against Indonesia, Saturday, January 1.

"Actually, all of our players played very well during the 2020 AFF Cup. However, I can't just ignore Chanathip's quality both on and off the field," Polking said in a virtual press conference before the match, followed in Jakarta, Friday, December 31.

According to the Brazilian and German tactician, Chanathip has a series of abilities that make him one of the best players in Southeast Asia.

Evidently, the 28-year-old footballer plays regularly at the top Japanese league club J1 League, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. With Sapporo, Chanathip played 115 times in the J1 League and has recorded 14 goals and 21 assists.

"He dared to take risks by competing in Japan, a league of higher quality (than Thailand-ed). In the process, Chanathip transformed into one of the best players in Japan. That already explains how good he is," said Polking.

Chanathip Songkrasin was one of the players who helped Thailand win the men's soccer gold medal at the 2013 and 2015 SEA Games and won the 2014 and 2016 AFF Cups.

Now, in the 2020 AFF Cup, he is still the backbone of Thailand. He has scored four goals in the tournament which temporarily crowned Chanathip as one of the most fertile players along with compatriots Teerasil Dangda and Bienvienido Maranon (Philippines) and Safawi Rasid (Malaysia).

Indonesia and Thailand leave the last leg match which will be held on Saturday (1/1) at the National Stadium, Singapore, starting at 19.30 p.m. Indonesian Western Time (WIB) or 20.30 p.m. local time.

Having lost 0-4 in the first leg, Indonesia must win by a minimum difference of five goals in the second leg to become champions or lead by at least four goals to force the match into extra time and, if needed, a penalty shootout with Thailand.