THE national squad’s victory over the United Arab Emirates in Group G of the Asian Futsal Cup 2026 qualifiers was secured through discipline, tactics and strong support from fans according to head coach Rakphol Sainetngam.
He stated that although they only achieved a narrow 1-0 win it was sufficient to earn three crucial points and pave the way for further progress in the tournament.
“Thank you to my players for playing very well and following the tactics we had planned for this important match.”
“Sometimes they show inconsistency because they are still young and this was a big match but the most important thing is that we got the three points.”
“I also want to thank the supporters because without them our team might not have held on until the final whistle,” he said at the post-match press conference at the SUKPA Indoor Stadium.
Commenting on the upcoming clash with Bangladesh he emphasised that a tougher challenge awaits the team but expressed hope they can add another three points.
UAE head coach Ricardo Camara Sobral accepted the defeat but remained proud of his team’s performance throughout the match.
“In sports there are times to win and times to lose and my players performed well despite the result.”
“A single mistake in switching to a power play strategy towards the end of the match changed everything for us,” he said.
The coach explained he was willing to take such a risk as he knew a goalless draw was not enough and he wanted to put on a quality performance for the fans. – Bernama
