AYG Football: China in comprehensive 7-0 win over Thailand

Story by Dan Azmie/Red Sports. Pictures by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports.

Jalan Besar Stadium, Saturday, 27 June – Southeast Asia’s football tigers Thailand were humbled 0-7 by the People’s Republic of China in their Asian Youth Games football Group A tie.

Spearheading China’s goal spree was captain Yan Peng, who romped home with five goals to send out a strong message of intent to their other rivals in the competition.

Thailand seemed to crumble within the first few minutes of the match, and looked nervy from the kick off. China, on the other hand, did not hesitate to probe their rival’s backline.

In the second minute, Thai keeper Jit-On Pipatpong spilled a high ball that looked to be a routine catch, allowing Liang Xueming the opportunity to shoot. The keeper was quick to atone for his mistake as he parried it low to his left.

Moments later though, a right flank cross by winger Wang Yiran was met by skipper Yan Peng, who laid it back to Long Cheng. Long made no mistake in finishing to the keeper’s right from just inside the penalty box to give his side a 1-0 lead.

That was China’s first shot of the match and it proved to be an ominous sign of their clinical attitude towards whatever opportunities that came their way as they doubled their lead just four minutes later.

Thailand captain Charoenruen Insiri was robbed of the ball in his half. An incisive through ball by China’s forward Liang Xueming allowed his captain Yan Peng to register a clinical finish to open his account in the game.

By the 10th minute of the match, the floodgates were well and truly open as the commanding China team raced to a 3-0 lead.

Left midfielder Tang Shi sent a peach of a pass from the left side to the onrushing Yan Peng, who shrugged off his marker Jairangsee Chatchon and lobbed it delicately over the goalkeeper.

China were winning all the battles in the middle of the park, and kept winning the 50-50 challenges as the Thai team had no answer to the 4-3-3 formation employed by coach Zhu Jinxing.

Thai playmaker Insiri was shackled tightly, as he found it difficult to find a way past his bustling markers. The Thai captain was closed down time and again and was not allowed the breathing space to spray his usual passes to his teammates.

But in the 19th minute, Insiri, who found himself isolated with no teammates near him at the left flank, swivelled and somehow managed to send a beautiful ball towards forward Ponpal Topsaporn in the penalty area. Though the Chinese defence eventually beat Topsaporn to the ball, it was comforting for Insiri to have finally found his feet in the game.

Three minutes later, Insiri sent another through ball to Topsaporn, who had a chance to squeeze through on goal, but China’s leftback Xu Jun stayed resolute to block his shot.

The visibly frustrated Topsaporn now had three to four clear chances to break his team’s duck but found no luck against a shrewd China defence.

Coach Kongsri Pichai then attempted to galvanize his team in the 26th minute with Kotchanin Titivut replacing midfielder Tanomnaew Komsan.

The substitution, however, seemed to matter little when a cross by Tang Shi from the left side of midfield was again met by Yan Peng. With a towering header, Yan arrowed the ball to the top right hand corner of the net for his hat-trick and a 4-0 China lead.

There was more woe for Thailand as talisman Insiri had to be substituted in the 34th minute, as he limped out of the field, grimacing and pointing at his left knee.

China were not in a charitable mood as they made it five for the night right on the stroke of half-time with Yan Peng playing an instrumental role again, stretching the Thai defence at the byline, before pulling it back for Liang Xueming to gleefully slot it home.

In the second half, it was one-way traffic once again as China did not allow their hunger for goals to abate despite already netting five in the first half.

In the 50th minute, Zhou Pengcheng sent a ball over the Thai defence to find Tang Shi, but Thai keeper Pipatpong pulled off a remarkable stop. In the 58th minute, Pipatpong was at it again as he made a string of saves, particularly from Xueming, to keep the scoreline from exploding.

Despite facing an onslaught, it was heartening to see the spirited Thai supporters waving their flags and egging the team on.

But China’s scoring machine Yan Peng was clearly thirsty for more as he scored two more goals in style. First, in the 61st minute, he beat the offside trap with a run to his left, dropped a shoulder and buried it to the keeper’s left.

One minute before time, he made it sweet seven for his team when a perfectly lobbed ball from the middle of the park found him, and he kept his composure to finish the game off for good.

At the press conference, when asked on why his team conceded so many goals early in the match, Thai team doctor Meechai Niwood said, “I think that size has a lot of things to do with this one. China’s number 10 (Yan Peng) is a very good player. We had a hard game two days ago; they haven’t fully recovered as yet.”

But he maintained that the Thais were not prepared to give up just yet.

Niwood continued: “If you remember, we also lost our first match to Korea in the previous round, so we need to win the other (remaining) two.”

China’s captain marvel Yan Peng was ecstatic after the game.

“I am very happy. However, it is more important to help the team, and that is all that matters.”

When asked whether he was gunning to be the top scorer of the tournament, he revealed, “I am very confident that I can achieve the top scorer’s award.”

The next round of matches in Group A will see Southeast Asian rivals Thailand and hosts Singapore needing a win against each other, whilst Iran will square off against China. Both games are on Monday.