Thailand assistant coach Natsuko Todoroki has said Chaba Kaew are ready to fight in their two play-off battles and earn a place in the 2023 Women’s World Cup finals.
The Thais were routed 7-0 by two-time defending champions Japan in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup quarter-finals in Mumbai, India, on Sunday.
Despite the big loss, Todoroki insists the fight isn’t over with a World Cup slot still up for grabs.
“Our fans mean a lot to us. They have shown plenty of support and we have crucial ties coming up ahead,” said Todoroki. “We’re still in the running to qualify for the 2023 Fifa World Cup. We really hope they’ll continue to cheer for us.”
Thailand play Vietnam in the play-offs on Wednesday, then face Taiwan two days later with two wins taking them to the next year’s finals in Australia and New Zealand.
“Our players gave their all in the game and I’m really proud of the way they played in this match [against Japan],” said Todoroki. “It was a challenge playing under the heat. We had to take care of the players’ conditioning.
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“We’ve played some tough matches and it’s time for some much needed rest. The best thing we can do right now is to get the players back in shape and work on their fitness.
“Having limited players available will make it difficult for us to select strong sides for the play-off games but we will be trying our best.”