Issara confident of winning gold medal

Issara confident of winning gold medal

Thailand's Yotsakon Burapha, No.9, and Teerasak Poeiphimai, No.8, celebrate during a match at the SEA Games in Cambodia. (Photo supplied)
Thailand's Yotsakon Burapha, No.9, and Teerasak Poeiphimai, No.8, celebrate during a match at the SEA Games in Cambodia. (Photo supplied)

Thailand U22 team coach Issara Sritaro is backing his men to win the football gold of the 2023 SEA Games despite expecting a tough fight with Indonesia in the final in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.

The title showdown will kick off at 7.30pm at the Olympic Stadium and will be aired live by T Sports 7 channel.

Thailand are the most successful nation in the men's football competition of the biennial event with 16 titles, but their last gold was won in 2017.

Thailand made the final after drubbing Myanmar 3-1 while Indonesia ended two-time defending champions Vietnam's dream of a third straight title with a 3-2 victory.

The War Elephants had their last training before the final on Monday, focusing mainly on fitness and tactics.

Issara said: "The fitness of the players has improved which is the most important thing. Selection of our starting line-up will depend on it and we still need to run a last-minute check.

"The final is the most difficult game of any tournament and we are up against a very good team who move the ball around very quickly.

"We have studied Indonesia's game but for us, how well we execute our plans will be more important.

"It won't be an easy game but I am quite confident we will get the gold medal."

Striker Achitpol Kirirom said the Thais were ready to take on Indonesia.

"They showed a lot of character in their semi-final victory over Vietnam and we know what awaits us in the final. We are ready and will do our best in the title match," he said.

Thailand's strike force will also feature lethal duo Teerasak Poeiphimai and Yotsakon Burapha.

Indonesia's men can restore pride to the country's football on Tuesday, following a deadly stadium disaster and humiliation at losing the right to host the U20 World Cup.

The last time they contested the SEA Games showpiece was in 2007 as co-hosts.

Signs of success on the pitch come during a dark time for Indonesian football.

In October, 135 people were killed at a stadium in East Java when police fired tear gas, causing a stampede among spectators.

Tragedy was followed by ignominy when world governing body Fifa relocated the U20 World Cup from Indonesia to Argentina because of opposition in the Muslim-majority nation to Israel's participation. bangkok post/afp

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