After defeating Malaysia 3-0 on Tuesday, Thailand will face host country Vietnam in the ASEAN Championship final (10 Dec).
Teerasil Dangda, Bordin Phala, and Adisak Kraisorn scored to help the six-time winners overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Kuala Lumpur and go to Thailand’s 10th final in 14 seasons.
After 19 minutes of play, Thailand tied the match on aggregate when Teerasil, the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, rose unmarked to head Theerathon Bunmathan’s cross from the left beyond Malaysian goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi. At the 10 minute mark of the second half, Thailand increased their advantage on the night and took the lead on aggregate when Bordin swept in Ekanit Panya’s cut back from the right.
Adisak, who came on for Teerasil at halftime, scored the third goal when he tapped in a rebound from Suphanan Bureerat’s center in the 71st minute.
In 2008, Vietnam defeated Thailand 3-2 on aggregate to win the regional title, therefore this would be the first time the two teams have faced in the final since then. In this thrilling championship game, both sides will be competing for the chance to go down in history books.
This Friday (the 13th) at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, there will likely be a sizable audience to see the action. The Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok will host the second match of the Thai round of the series.
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