Muang Thong eye Ulsan scalp

Muang Thong eye Ulsan scalp

Muang Thong coach Totchtawan Sripan (right) shakes hands with Ulsan boss Kim Do-Hoon.  PR
Muang Thong coach Totchtawan Sripan (right) shakes hands with Ulsan boss Kim Do-Hoon. PR

Thai League 1 champions SCG Muang Thong United are aiming to beat South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai tonight and move a step closer to securing a berth in the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League.

The match at SCG Stadium will kick off at 7.30pm.

After the first three games, Muang Thong are second in Group E on five points, one behind Japan's Kashima Antlers.

Ulsan have four points and Australian side Brisbane Roar have one.

In the away fixture at Ulsan, the Kirins, who have never advanced past the group stage of the continental club championship, managed to hold on for a scoreless draw, frustrating the Koreans with their defensive tactics.

However, Muang Thong coach Totchtawan Sripan said yesterday his men would go on the attack as they will be playing at home.

"In the previous match, we were underdogs so we played defensively. This time, we will use attacking tactics,'' he said.

"The result will be crucial as the winners could enter the next round. We have high hopes of progressing to the knockout stages. We will be playing at home so we have to pick up three points. We are ready and our players are looking forward to the game.

Ulsan coach Kim Do-Hoon said: "After we played in our league at the weekend, we travelled to Thailand immediately. Our players may feel tired because the weather here is very hot. This will be an important game for both teams. Our goal is to win. We are ready and believe we can win."

Kim said his team were well-prepared for tomorrow's encounter.

"It will be different tomorrow. The last time we did not have much information about Muang Thong but now we have,'' he said.

In today's other Group E game, Brisbane Roar meet J-League champions Kashima Antlers.

The top two teams from each group advance to the next round.

Meanwhile, Totchtawan said he was not interested in coaching the Thai national team after the departure of his friend Kiatisak Senamuang.

"I have already turned down an offer for me to be coach of Thailand. I want to focus on working with Muang Thong. I am not ready to become coach of Thailand," he said.

Kiatisak resigned as coach of the national team after their poor results in the 2018 World Cup final qualifying round.

Totchtawan played alongside Kiatisak in the national team during their playing days.

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