21-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) Thailand and hosts Singapore are set to clash in a high-stakes battle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, a match that neither side can afford to lose. The Group C encounter, part of the second phase of Asian qualifiers, will kick off at 7 pm (Thai time) at the Singapore National Stadium. Thai Rath TV (32) will broadcast the game live.
In the previous matches, China demonstrated resilience by coming from behind to secure a 2-1 victory against Thailand in Bangkok. Meanwhile, Takayuki Nishigaya’s Singapore suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of Juergen Klinsmann’s South Korea in Seoul.
Thailand desperately needs a win on Tuesday night to revive their campaign and potentially save coach Mano Polking’s job with the War Elephants. Some sections of Thai fans have demanded his dismissal, fueling speculation about potential replacements such as former Buriram United coach Masatada Ishii, former Vietnam boss Park Hang-Seo, and former Cambodia manager Keisuke Honda.
Thailand will face the Singapore challenge without two key players, Chanathip Songkrasin and Pansa Hemviboon, both of whom sustained injuries during the match against China.
Polking anticipates a challenging encounter with Singapore and reflected on their previous success at the Singapore National Stadium. “We have fond memories of this place because we won the Asean championship here two years ago,” said the German-Brazilian coach during a press conference.
He acknowledged the pressure that comes with losing an important match but emphasized the team’s need to remain focused. Polking urged his players to rise to the occasion, give their best effort, and strive for victory. He also cautioned against underestimating Singapore, highlighting their strengths as a good team and emphasizing that there are no easy games in the current era of football.
Regarding the absence of Chanathip and Pansa, key members of the squad, Polking acknowledged the challenge but expressed optimism about the potential return of striker Teerasil Dangda, who has recently recovered from an injury. Teerasil echoed the importance of not repeating the mistakes made against China and emphasized the team’s determination to get their qualifying campaign back on track.
“We want to put our qualifying campaign back on track, so this is an important game for us,” said Teerasil. He emphasized the need to produce a positive result and acknowledged the improvements in the Singaporean team over the past few years, having observed the progress of some Singaporean players at his club, BG Pathum United.
