“My heartfelt thanks to all the fans who came to the arena to support us, and we are also grateful to the fans who watched our game elsewhere. The support of the home fans played a big role in driving us towards our win today,” said Suriya.

“We started the game strongly and were controlling quite well, but towards the end of the second period, I felt a lapse in concentration among us, and that allowed Kuwait to score three quick goals, so I’m glad I could step up in the right moment.” 

The Thai goalkeeper now has his sights set on securing a place in the semi-finals for the first time. 

“We played a friendly against Saudi Arabia not too long ago and we lost by a very close margin,” said the 30-year-old.

“The Saudi Arabian team is particularly good at shooting on target, so while we refine our tactical and technical game, I think the key will be to stay focused and avoid distractions.”

Kuwait head coach Tareq AlKhaledi hailed the spirit of his charges, even though the result ultimately ended their campaign.

“I think the boys showed tremendous heart against the hosts. It is not easy to come back from three goals down and the team exceeded my expectations,” said AlKhaledi “We are returning from the competition with significant knowledge which will be priceless for this generation of footballers.

“We will strive to build a strong team capable of competing at a higher standard in the coming years.”

Thailand v Saudi Arabia
Venue: Jomtien Beach Arena (Pattaya)
Kick-off: Wednesday, 18:30 (UTC+7)