Blond assassin strikes for Thailand

Jan 11, 2019 06:00 am

Thailand's blond assassin Chanathip Songkrasin fired the War Elephants to only their second Asian Cup win in history as they beat Bahrain 1-0 yesterday to reignite their campaign.

The Consadole Sapporo midfielder's second-half strike was golden for the Thais, who had seemed in disarray after they sacked their coach Milovan Rajevac, following a 4-1 loss to India on Sunday .

ASIAN CUP, GROUP A
BAHRAIN	THAILAND
0	1
	(Chanathip Songkrasin 58)

Yesterday's result improved their record to two victories from 22 Asian Cup games, adding to their 2-0 win over Oman in the 2007 edition, which they co-hosted.

Bahrain controlled the first half, with Mohamed Jasim Marhoon and Sayed Dhiya Saeed coming closest as they forced Thailand goalkeeper Siwarak Tedsungnoen into a sharp double-save.

But the diminutive Chanathip, whose fans compare him to Barcelona's Lionel Messi, put the Thais in the driver's seat in the 58th minute with a superbly struck first-time shot that rocketed past Sayed Shubbar Alawi in the Bahrain goal.

Siwarak saved brilliantly from Ali Jaafar Madan's snap-shot as Bahrain hunted for the equaliser, while Adisak Kraisorn, fed by Chanathip, belted one off the post at the other end. - AFP