SONGKHLA, Thailand – Thailand’s national football team, the War Elephants, has won the King’s Cup for the first time in seven years, defeating Syria 2-1 at Tinsulanonda Stadium in Songkhla province. The victory on Monday night (Oct 14) gave Thailand’s 16th win in the tournament’s history and their first triumph outside Bangkok in the four-nation competition. Goals from midfielder Ekanit Panya and Captain Chanathip Songkrasin secured the win, with Chanathip scoring the decisive goal in extra time.
The match saw a packed stadium of 24,121 spectators, with fans contributing to the high-energy atmosphere. The Football Association of Thailand (FA Thailand) expressed gratitude to the supporters, crediting them as essential to driving the team’s performance. Thailand, ranked 100th by FIFA, managed to overcome Syria, ranked 92nd, in a closely contested match.
The victory has reignited football enthusiasm across the country, and the team will be rewarded with 5 million baht in recognition of their achievement. FA Thailand President Nualphan Lamsam expressed hope that the win would further reinvigorate interest in Thai football.
Thailand’s next international matches are scheduled between November 13 and 21, with the fixtures yet to be announced. The win in the King’s Cup has given a boost to the War Elephants as they prepare for upcoming FIFA matches. (NNT)
