Australia U23 coach Tony Vidmar commended Thailand U23 for their resilient performance in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026. Despite playing with ten men for most of the match, Thailand challenged the Australian squad during their 1-2 defeat in the Group D opener on 8/1 at the Al Shabab pitch in Saudi Arabia.

Thailand initially took the lead in the 8th minute. However, their advantage was short-lived as Phon-ek Maneekorn received a red card for a dangerous foul just one minute later. Playing a man down, defensive errors proved costly for the Southeast Asian side, leading to two quick goals from Australia between the 29th and 30th minutes. Ethan Alagich converted a penalty, followed by a superb strike from Mathias Macallister.

Australia U23 national football team coach Tony Vidmar. Photo: Football Australia

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Thai players displayed determination for the rest of the match. While they could not equalize, they prevented Australia from scoring further goals, a fact that impressed Coach Vidmar. "We won, but I must praise Thailand", he stated. "With ten men, they remained very determined and made it difficult for Australia".

Mathias Macallister, who was named man of the match, echoed his coach's sentiments. The midfielder born in 2007 acknowledged Thailand's efforts, saying, "It's true that Thailand's effort and determination deserve praise. But we held onto our lead".

Thailand's coach, Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, expressed pride in his players' reaction after going down a man and conceding to a strong opponent. "Everything was good, only the result was not as desired", he commented.

Before arriving in Saudi Arabia, Thailand faced a challenging preparation period. This included a 2-3 comeback loss to Vietnam in the SEA Games 33 final, despite holding a 2-0 lead. Subsequently, clubs did not release players, forcing the team to make ten changes, many involving key players.

Coach Thawatchai emphasized the importance of mental preparation for an Asian-level tournament. He highlighted the loss to Australia as a valuable lesson for his players, particularly regarding decision-making, avoiding red card fouls, and conceding penalties.

Following China's 0-0 draw with Iraq, Australia currently leads Group D, while Thailand sits at the bottom. The second round of Group D matches in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 will take place on 11/1, with Thailand playing Iraq and Australia facing China.

Looking ahead, Coach Thawatchai outlined Thailand's goal: "We must try to earn points to reach the quarterfinals". He recognized Iraq as a formidable opponent with technically skilled players.

Meanwhile, another victory would secure Vidmar's team an early advancement from the group stage. The coach born in 1970 noted that improving their ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, rather than squandering them as they did against Thailand, is a key area for development.

Reflecting on their next opponent, Vidmar stated, "We drew 0-0 with China in the qualifiers last September. They are very aggressive, have good players, and are physically strong. The next match will certainly be difficult but worth looking forward to".

Hieu Luong