THAILAND ROUND-UP

Pre-Olympic team to face Denmark today

TOR CHITTINAND

Thailand and Denmark's pre-Olympic teams will play a warm-up match today at the Army stadium. The game will kick off at 6 pm with live telecast on Channel 11. Team manager Kasem Jariyawatwong said the only doubts with his team is centre-back Kiatprawut Saiwaew who is suffering a back injury.

''We will have to wait for the doctor's decision,'' he said.

Kasem said his team needed to keep the ball on the ground as the Danish side were very tall. He said Teerasilp Dangda and Teerathep Winothai would be the strikers while Prat Samakrat and Kiatprawut Saiwaew were the key players in defence.

Last week Thailand beat Indonesia 3-0 in another warm-up match.

The first qualifying round will see Thailand take on Turkmenistan home and away on Feb 7 and Feb 14.

Meanwhile, Thailand's national team returned home last night after their 2-0 victory over Vietnam in the first leg of the Asean Championships semi-final.

Coach Charnwit Phalajivin said he was very pleased with his team's performance in Hanoi.

''There was a lot of pressure with the noisy capacity crowd but our players settled down well,'' he said.

''The win has made life easier for us in the return leg. However we won't underestimate Vietnam,'' he said.

The second leg is on Sunday at Supachalasai stadium.

In other news, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) to merge the Thailand Premier League and the Professional League.

The new league will be known as the Thailand Premier League and will kick off on March 17.

There will be a 55 million baht budget for the league's four divisions.

Thailand News : Sports News
Bangkok Post
Friday January 26, 2007