Thailand coach: 'My players deserve a red card'
In the 62nd minute, when Thailand was leading 1-0, while trying to cut the ball to block Indonesia's quick counterattack, Sanrawat kicked Saddil Ramdani's thigh. The referee immediately drew a red card to disqualify the player who had just been brought into the field as a substitute at the beginning of the second half.
"In that situation, my player was just greedy for the ball, not malicious," said coach Polking about the ball that pushed Thailand into a position of having to play without people. "But the referee gave the red card right. I have nothing to complain about."
Sanrawat's red card makes Thailand more difficult when chasing the score. 12 minutes earlier, Theerathon Bunmathan let the ball touch his hand after Asnawi Mangkualam's shot, causing the away team to incur a penalty. From then on, midfielder Marc Klok fooled goalkeeper Kittipong to open the scoring for Indonesia.
Thailand played for more than half an hour without people. However, they did not concede more but also equalized. From Sarach Yoonen's long shot, the ball hit Ricky Kanbuaya and turned into the net in the helplessness of goalkeeper Argawinata.
"We conceded a goal early in the second half, and then lost again. We shouldn't have been given such a red card situation because the situation was more difficult. But the players encouraged each other, fought. to the last moment and have a point of departure," added Coach Polking.
After Sanrawat was sent off, Polking admitted to being passive and having difficulty adjusting the game because he had just changed at the beginning of the second half. But then he decided to launch striker Adisak Kraisorn to replace the old general Teerasil Dangda to refresh the attack. According to the coach with dual German and Brazilian citizenship, this personnel change was effective, Adisak ran on the left wing, opening the ball to the equalizer.
A point on the field of Indonesia, and two victories over Brunei (5-0) and the Philippines (4-0) bring Thailand back to the top of Group A. Polking's army will have a ticket to the semi-finals if they do not lose the match. on January 2 against Cambodia, the team is on six points. "The match against Indonesia is too difficult. But the important thing is that in the end we have the points to have an advantage before the match against Cambodia, which decides the ticket to the semi-finals," coach Polking said.
Polking once led Thailand to the AFF Cup 2020. On that journey, they defeated Vietnam in the semi-finals and Indonesia in the final.
