Pattaya: Thailand ended their 2019 AFC Beach Soccer Championship campaign on a positive note, and did a favour for their Southeast Asian neighbours Malaysia, by beating Afghanistan 2-0 in their final Group A match on Monday.
Goals from Thakorn Wikayaphan and Tanandon Praracha sealed the win for Abolfazl Khodabandehloo's team, who finished level with Malaysia on three points, but were unable to progress to the last eight by virtue of their inferior head-to-head record.
It was an opportunity missed for Afghanistan, who squandered the chance to reach the knockout stage to finish bottom of the group on two points.
Afghanistan began needing a win, even via penalty shootout, to reach the knockout stage ahead of Malaysia, but they had to contend with a Thailand side desperate to avoid finishing without a win on home soil.
The early result was a tense battle punctuated by committed defending, and the occasional moment of brilliance, like Boriboon Klanglar's full-stretch save to deny Zainuddin Sharifi's bullet-like shot, as the first period ended scoreless.
Thai captain Komkrit Nanan fired a bicycle kick just wide in the opening seconds of the second term, and the hosts finally broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, when Thakorn slammed a free-kick into the bottom corner.
Afghanistan were struggling to get anything going up front, with Thailand repelling attack after attack without much fuss, and launching several more dangerous runs of their own.
But for all their intent, Thailand were unable to add to their lead before the final break, sending a number of efforts off target to keep Afghanistan within striking distance at 1-0 down with one period of play remaining.
Afghanistan's entire campaign was at stake, and Qaderi came close with a header early in the period, but their task became more daunting when Tanandon lunged to knock a close-range second into the roof of the net with eight minutes remaining.
Time was running out for Meysam Ashtiyani's side, and the writing was on the wall for them when a chaotic goalmouth scramble failed to provide an equaliser with four minutes remaining, with a sand-covered Boriboon emerging with the ball after a string of Afghan attempts couldn't force the ball over the goal line.
Thailand were forced to navigate the last two minutes with four men after Wuttinan Pruethong was sent off, but Afghanistan remained unable to capitalise, leaving them to reflect on what might have been.
Source: the-afc.com