Thailand playmaker Chanathip Songkrasin aims to help the War Elephants beat Vietnam in their opening 2022 World Cup qualifier on Thursday to avenge their recent loss to their Southeast Asian rivals.
The game to be played at Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit will be a rematch of Vietnam's 1-0 win over Thailand in the King's Cup in Buri Ram in June.
Thailand will next visit Indonesia on Sept 10 with the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia being the other two teams in Group G of Asia's second qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup.
Chanathip, who did not play in the King's Cup due to injury, said on Tuesday he was ready for Thursday's game.
"There are winners and losers. Every time we lose, we will use it as a motivation. We will try to beat Vietnam," said Chanathip of Japanese club Consadole Sapporo.
"Vietnam's strong point is their team work. They are hungry to beat Thailand.
"This is our home game and our football fans are expecting a lot from this match. So we want to win after we lost to them in the previous match. We must play for our fans."
It will be Akira Nishino's first competitive match as coach of Thailand after the 64-year-old Japanese took the job in July.
"For Japanese coaches, discipline is the most important thing. We must have discipline and concentration. I am happy to work with Nishino," said Chanathip.
The 25-year-old midfielder normally wears the No.18 shirt but this time he will wear the No.10 shirt.
Striker Teerasil Dangda wears the No.10 jersey when he plays for the national side but he is not in the current squad because of injury.
Under Nishino, who guided his country to the last 16 round of the 2018 World Cup, the Thai players have trained behind closed doors.
However, there have been video clips and photos on the social media, posted by Vietnamese journalists covering the event.
Somyot Poompunmuang, president of the Football Association of Thailand, on Tuesdayblasted the Vietnamese media for "spying".
"It's about etiquette and they should not have done this. Although everybody wants to win, this is not the proper way," Somyot said.
"I have to thank the Thai media for not indulging in such a behaviour."
It was Nishino who asked the FAT to arrange closed-door training sessions.
"We have heeded the coach's request," Somyot said.
The War Elephants will be led by four foreign-based stars -- Chanathip, defender Theerathon Bunmathan and midfielder Thitiphan Puangjan who play in Japan, and goalkeeper Kawin Thamsatchanan of OH Leuven in Belgium.
However, Nishino has called up only one striker, young star Supachai Chaided, as veteran forwards Teerasil and Adisak Kraisorn are injured.
Both reigning Southeast Asian champions Vietnam and Thailand have never qualified for the World Cup.