AFC Futsal Asian Cup
The 2024 runners-up and winners of Group B at Indonesia 2026, Thailand will start as favourites but can expect an uncompromising Iraq who showed great resolve to advance to the knockout stage.
#ACFutsal2026 | Preview: Quarter-finals
Rakhphol Sainetngam navigated his Thailand side to a dominant group stage performance with three wins despite only taking over as head coach mere weeks before the start of the tournament.
With a squad comprising nine players who reached the final on home soil in 2024, Sainetngam has plenty of experience at his disposal with the tactician confident the Southeast Asian side’s quality will take them past Iraq.
“We are ready to face whichever team we have to face,” said Sainetngam. “We don’t get to choose who we want to face and it wouldn’t matter because every remaining team is equally good."
With a squad comprising nine players who reached the final on home soil in 2024, Sainetngam has plenty of experience at his disposal with the tactician confident the Southeast Asian side’s quality will take them past Iraq.
“We are ready to face whichever team we have to face,” said Sainetngam. “We don’t get to choose who we want to face and it wouldn’t matter because every remaining team is equally good."
“We did well in the group stage but I have to say it won’t be easy in the quarter-finals. However, we have a good squad, the players are focused and we believe in ourselves.”
Iraq advanced to the quarter-finals as the Group A runners-up, with the West Asian side finishing second behind Indonesia on goal difference and head coach Joao Carlos has full confidence in his battle-hardened players.
They showed amazing determination in coming from behind to secure victories against Kyrgyz Republic and Korea Republic to book their place in the quarter-finals and Carlos has a plan on how to upstage Thailand.
Iraq advanced to the quarter-finals as the Group A runners-up, with the West Asian side finishing second behind Indonesia on goal difference and head coach Joao Carlos has full confidence in his battle-hardened players.
They showed amazing determination in coming from behind to secure victories against Kyrgyz Republic and Korea Republic to book their place in the quarter-finals and Carlos has a plan on how to upstage Thailand.
“The last group game (against Indonesia) was incredible for the players to experience because you live to play in such conditions and hopefully, it gives the players motivation to experience it again,” said Carlos.
“It’s going to be another difficult game against Thailand. What we need now is recovery. We have our plans to play against Thailand and we hope we can get a little bit of support from the home crowd.”
“It’s going to be another difficult game against Thailand. What we need now is recovery. We have our plans to play against Thailand and we hope we can get a little bit of support from the home crowd.”
Thailand v Iraq
Venue: Indonesia Arena (Jakarta)
Kick-off: Tuesday, 15:00 (UTC+7)
Venue: Indonesia Arena (Jakarta)
Kick-off: Tuesday, 15:00 (UTC+7)
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