Courtesy: Nation Multimedia


Tiny Guam faces top Thai team

Published on Apr 16, 2004

Thailand's national team will start their first World Futsal Championship Asian Qualifying match against unfashionable Guam at the Pavilhao Polidesportivo Stadium in Macau today.

The Thai futsal team, ranked third in Asia behind Iran and Japan, have been drawn in Group D, which also features China, Guam and Malaysia.

Team manager Adisak Benjasiriwan said the team is fit and ready to play, except for Anucha Munjarren who has just recovered from chicken pox. He was brimming with confidence that the team will easily qualify for the preliminary round of the international tournament.
Anucha will be out of action in the first round of this tournament because of chicken pox but I'm sure he will recover in time to help us battle against our rivals in the quarter-finals, Adisak said.

If the team fails to earn a place in the World Futsal Championship, which will be held in Chinese Taipei this year, I will resign from this job, he added.

Thailand's chances of making the cut should have improved after having appointed a new Brazilian coach, Glaucio De Castro, who coached a Brazilian under 21 team, a couple of weeks ago.

Castro said the Thai players have great footballing skills but lack international experience, which is the biggest impediment to them participating in the world tournament.

A total of 18 teams will be taking part in the Asian Qualifiers. The first round of the tournament doubles as the 6th AFC Futsal Championship.

The 18 teams have been divided into four groups. Two of the groups have five teams.

The top two teams in each group will advance to the quarter-finals. The beaten semi-finalists will meet for the 3rd/4th place playoff.

The top three teams in the competition qualify for the Fifa Futsal World Championship in Chinese Taipei from November 22 to December 12.