KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — Five-time champions Thailand became the first team to advance into the semifinals of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Cup 2020 after edging the Philippines 2-1 in their Group A match at the Singapore National Stadium today.
This is the third win for the Thais, who are coached by Alexandre Polking, having defeated Timor Leste 2-0 and Myanmar 4-0 earlier to sit at the top of the table with nine points. Thailand will wrap up their group fixtures by taking on Singapore on Saturday to decide who will top the group.
In today’s match, prolific striker Teerasil Dangda shone with a goal in each half to lead the War Elephants into the semifinals for the fifth straight time since the 2012 edition.
The 33-year-old striker, who plays for BG Pathum United, let fly a left-footed volley in the 26th minute to put Thailand 1-0 up before the Philippines equalised through Patrick Reichelt in the 57th minute.
Teerasil, who was the top scorer in the 2012 and 2016 editions of the AFF Cup, then coolly slotted a penalty kick past Filipino goalkeeper Kevin Ray Mendoza, who plays for Kuala Lumpur City FC, in the 78th minute to seal victory for Thailand.
Thailand won the AFF Cup in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2014 and 2016.
The two goals have made Dangda the top scorer in the history of the AFF Cup with 19 goals, two more than the record held by former Singapore player Mohd Noh Alam Shah.
In another match at the same venue, Singapore beat Timor Leste 2-0 to also advance to the knockout stage, their first semifinal in nine years since lifting the cup in 2012.
Singapore and Thailand both have nine points from three matches but Singapore are second in Group A because of an inferior goal difference.
Singapore’s goals were scored by Adam Swandi in the fourth minute and Muhammad Shakir Hamzah in the 70th minute.
The defeat by Singapore meant that Timor Leste ended their campaign without a single win in four matches. — Bernama
