Young War Elephants ready to reclaim gold medal
published : 27 Apr 2023 at 08:39
writer: R May
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Tor Chittinand
The Football Association of Thailand (FAT) announced on Wednesday its 20 players for the men's tournament at the upcoming SEA Games in Cambodia.
Coach Issara Sritaro's squad was trimmed from the provisional 29-man team.
The young War Elephants are led by Thai League 1 stars -- Ratchaburi defender Jonathan Khemdee, Buriram United midfielder Airfan Doloh and Port striker Teerasak Poeiphimai.
The team on Wednesday sought blessings from renowned monk Somdej Thongchai at Wat Trai Mit Witthayaram.
They will leave for Cambodia today and begin their campaign against Singapore on Sunday.
The Thais will also face defending champions Vietnam, Malaysia, and Laos in Group B.
Group A features hosts Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Timor Leste.
The men's football competition, which is for U23 players, is scheduled from April 29 to May 16. The 2023 SEA Games will officially begin on May 5 and end on May 17.
Thailand are the most successful team in the men's football tournament at the biennial event with 16 titles.
However, they have failed to win the crown in the previous two editions, won by Vietnam.
The Thais last won the men's football gold medal in 2017.
Vocabulary
- biennial: happening once every two years - เกิดขึ้นทุกๆสองปี
- blessing: when someone says or does something to wish you well in life, work or a project, a prayer asking for help and protection - การสวดให้พร, การให้พร
- campaign: a series of matches in a tournament or season -
- crown: title; the position of a winner in a sports competition - ตำแหน่งแชมป์
- defend a title (championship): to win a competition again after winning the previous time it was held - ชนะอีกครั้งหลังจากชนะเลิศครั้งก่อน
- provisional: for the present time but likely to change; temporary - ชั่วคราว,เฉพาะกาล
- reclaim: recover something that was previously lost -
- renowned (adj): famous and admired for a special quality, skill or achievement - ที่มีชื่อเสียง
- sought (past tense of seek): tried to get/do something; asked for something - พยายามได้, พยายามได้มา
- squad: a team in sports from which the players for a match are chosen - ทีม
- trim: to make something neater, smaller, better, etc, by cutting parts from it - ตัด
