KUANTAN, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The key to the national squad’s victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Group G of the Asian Futsal Cup 2026 qualifiers was discipline, tactics and strong support from fans, according to head coach Rakphol Sainetngam.
He said although they only secured a narrow 1-0 win, it was enough to earn them three points, paving the way to progress further.
“Thank you to my players. Today, they played very well and followed the tactics we had planned. Sometimes they are inconsistent 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 podt-match press conference at the SUKPA Indoor Stadium here last night.
Commenting on the upcoming clash with Bangladesh tomorrow (Monday), he emphasised that a tougher challenge awaits the team but hopes they can add another three points.
Meanwhile, UAE head coach Ricardo Camara Sobral accepted the defeat but remained proud of his team’s performance.
"In sports, there are times to win and times to lose. My players performed well, but a single mistake in switching to a power play strategy towards the end of the match changed everything," he said.
The coach said he was willing to take such a risk as he knew a goalless draw was not enough, besides wanting to put on a quality performance for the fans.
-- BERNAMA
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