Thai players relieve burden after 5-star victory over Laos

Midfielder Sarach Yooyen admitted he felt "relieved" after contributing to Thailand's 5-0 away victory over Laos in their opening match of Group B at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

In this match, Sarach stood out with 1 goal and 2 assists, helping the "War Elephants" secure all three points.

Sarach shared: "I am personally very happy. The most important thing is that we won the first match. Everyone knows the opening match is always crucial and not easy, but everyone completed their tasks well.

"We definitely wanted to win. When the score ended very favorably, it gives us more motivation and confidence for the next matches. I want to praise the young players; they all played well. Perhaps we just need to improve a bit on the tempo of handling and decision-making in the final third. Overall, everyone gave a good performance."

Sarach also recalled a memory from 14 years ago: "Today feels like I've unloaded a burden. 14 years ago, we came to play away in Laos while wearing the U22 Thailand jersey.

Many people in the current team were also there at that time, and we lost 0-1. Over that time, we have grown and improved a lot. I also think Laos football has developed significantly compared to before.

Regarding his physical condition, the 34-year-old player affirmed: "I don't have a serious injury, just a slight muscle strain. The clay field caused muscles to be tighter than usual. I want to call on Thai fans to come to the stadium to cheer and give the team more motivation. We will try our best in every match and achieve the best results."

Meanwhile, coach Anthony Hudson said: "I am satisfied with this match because we started the tournament with a win. The team also has many new faces. Another positive is that no player suffered an injury and everyone followed the tactics set out.

Thank you to the fans who came to support. I am really impressed that the fans traveled many distances with various means to get here and always gave the team motivation."

Regarding future plans, the English coach said: "We will return to Thailand immediately and focus on recovering the players' condition to prepare for the next match.

The whole team will take it one match at a time and always give their best. Regarding Sarach Yooyen's injury, we will check further, but initially it doesn't seem too serious, just a minor collision.

Actually, I was concerned about the players' fitness even before the tournament started. However, I believe that in the coming time, everyone will reach a better state.

I am very impressed with the players from the U23 team as well as the experienced players in the squad. I affirm that personnel selection is not based on age but on the ability and readiness of each player.

In the next match, Thailand will face Malaysia (ranked 136th in the world) at Rajamangala Stadium at 8:00 PM on August 1, 2026, in the second match of Group B of the 2026 ASEAN Cup.