Nagoya: The Thai national football team, known as the "War Elephants," is set to compete in the Asian Games, with their first match against Kyrgyzstan. Coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul has acknowledged the challenging nature of their group but is determined to lead the team to success in the tournament.
According to Thai News Agency, Coach Thawatchai, who is heading the team for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, expressed the team's readiness during a press conference. Thailand finds itself in Group A alongside host nation Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hong Kong. The group matches will be played in a round-robin format, with the winners and runners-up moving to the knockout stage.
Coach Thawatchai expressed gratitude for the warm welcome from the hosts and reiterated the team's commitment to advancing as far as possible in the competition. He highlighted the opportunity to play against Japan as a valuable experience against a top Asian team. Reflecting on the upcoming match against Kyrgyzstan, he mentioned insights gained from a previous friendly, emphasizing the importance of preparation while expressing confidence in his players' capabilities.
The team has been focusing on tactical training sessions to fine-tune their strategies for the match against Kyrgyzstan. General Maneekorn, the team's left-back, acknowledged initial fatigue from travel but stressed the importance of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents. He is optimistic about the team's prospects in both the U23 Asian Championship and the Asian Games.
The "War Elephants" are scheduled to play their matches at Toyota Stadium, starting with Kyrgyzstan on September 16th at 2:00 PM, followed by Hong Kong on September 20th at 2:00 PM, and concluding the group stage against Japan on September 23rd at 5:30 PM.