Thailand held host United Arab Emirates to a 1-1 draw to advance to the knockout stage of the Asian Cup with an improbable second place finish in Group A.
Midfielder Thitiphan Puangjan scored the Thai goal late in the first half after the UAE had taken the lead in the game, played before a clutch of diehard and ecstatic Thai fans at Al Maktoum Stadium in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
The draw put Thailand a solid second in Group A standings, guaranteeing a spot in the final-16 knockout stage of the tournament for the first time since the early 1980s.
The draw with UAE was eight days and an entire world away from the disastrous start for the War Elephants, who lost their first match 4-1 to India.
That led to a cascade of events - the firing of Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac, the appointment of his assistant Sirisak Yodyardthai as interim leader, a victory over Bahrain and now a place in the Asian Cup Final 16.
The Round of 16 begins on Sunday, with Thailand to face either China or South Korea, depending upon the result of their final match on Wednesday evening.
In the parallel match Monday night, Bahrain defeated India 1-0, and also advance to the final 16. India, which dealt Thailand a 4-1 defeat in the opening match, were eliminated from the tournament.
In the UAE-Thailand match, Ali Mabkhout handed the hosts a 7th-minute lead with a close-range header on the follow-up.
The UAE captain dinked a neat effort over the onrushing Siwarak Tedsungnoen and, although his effort came back off the bar, Ali Mabkhout was on hand to head home the rebound despite Adisorn Promrak’s best efforts to clear off the line.
But just four minutes before the break, Thitipan Puangchan squeezed through the equaliser just inches under the outstretched hand of the UAE goalkeeper, and that proved enough to secure the draw.
As Captain Teerasil Dongda was poised to race in on goal, Thitipan initially looked to get in his way, but the mix-up also caused confusion among the UAE defenders, paving the way for Thitipan to poke the ball into the back of the net from just two yards out.
Thitipan Puangchan (right) celebrates scoring the goal that put Thailand through, as team captain Teerasil Dangda (10) runs in to join him. (AP photo)
Then things got even better for Thailand with Bahrain's 1-0 win over India – courtesy of a dramatic 91st-minute penalty, the shot that ultimately put the War Elephants firmly into second place.
UAE claim top spot in Group A on five points while Thailand finish second ahead of Bahrain due to their superior head-to-head record after a 1-0 win last week.
Match highlights were presented on the sAmbA TV channel of YouTube.