Thailand coach Mano Polking is happy that his big gamble of making wholesale changes to the starting line-up resulted in a 2-0 victory over hosts Singapore in the War Elephants' last AFF Suzuki Cup Group A game on Saturday night.
Thailand topped the group standings with four wins from as many matches with Singapore taking the second spot in the semi-finals from the pool after suffering their first defeat.
First-half goals from Elias Dolah and Supachai Jaided were enough to secure the victory.
Polking decided to rotate heavily, leaving big names like Chanathip Songkrasin, Teerasil Dangda and Theerathon Bunmathan on the bench, and he obviously delighted by upshot.
"I'm really happy for the win and the strategy that we took but the meaning of that is zero now," said Poliking after the match.
"We knew it was risky to change so many players but they had worked so hard in training and deserved their chance and sure it might give us slightly fresher legs in the semi-finals but it doesn't really mean anything about sending a message or anything like that."
The Lions were booed by their own fans and Singapore coach Tatsuma Yoshida was highly emotional after the match and cut short his press conference after having broken down in tears.
"We are on the way, we're not a top level nation but we're in the semi-final for the first time in nine years.
"If there is any blame it should come on me, I'm not Pep Guardiola, I'm Tatsuma Yoshida from Japan but I'm proud of Singapore, I love Singapore and now I want to cry."