Thailand’s 3-1 Victory Over Singapore Not Enough to Secure World Cup Qualification
Thailand’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup were dashed despite a 3-1 win over Singapore at the Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok on June 11. The Thais needed to win by a margin of three goals to overtake China and secure second place in Group C, but ultimately fell short.
The match saw Thailand dominate possession and create numerous scoring opportunities, with midfielder Suphanat Mueanta opening the scoring in the 36th minute. The half ended 1-0 in favor of the hosts. However, Singapore’s forward Ikhsan Fandi equalized against the run of play in the 56th minute, dealing a significant blow to Thailand’s qualification hopes.
Thailand pushed forward, and substitute Poramet Arjvirai restored their lead in the 78th minute with a well-taken shot past Singapore’s goalkeeper Hassan Sunny. Fellow substitute Jaroensak Wonggorn added a third goal in the 85th minute, but it was too little, too late.
Meanwhile, China secured their spot in the next round with a 1-0 defeat to South Korea in the other Group C match, edging out Thailand on goal difference. The Thais’ narrow miss is a bitter pill to swallow, especially given their dominant performance against Singapore.
The Lions, on the other hand, ended their group-stage campaign with a dismal record of one point from six matches, having scored just five goals and conceded 24. Their only point came from a 2-2 draw against China, while they suffered heavy defeats to South Korea, including a 0-7 thrashing at home.
Head coach Tsutomu Ogura’s tenure has been marked by inconsistency and disappointing results, and the team’s early exit from the World Cup qualifying campaign will undoubtedly lead to soul-searching and introspection.