Thailand U23 head coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul has identified Malaysia’s rising striker Fergus Tierney as a major threat ahead of their decisive Group F clash in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
Speaking after his side’s 2-2 draw with Lebanon last night, Thawatchai admitted that Tierney, who netted a hat-trick in Malaysia’s 7-0 demolition of Mongolia, has been on his radar for some time.
“I’ve watched him (Fergus Tierney) for a long time. He is a strong striker with excellent ball possession,” said the Thai coach.
“But we have a plan to cope with him. We are not afraid of Malaysia. Meeting an ASEAN rival like them is important, especially with the SEA Games performance benchmark later this year.”
Thawatchai also pointed out that Thailand did not face Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship in Indonesia earlier this year, which makes this encounter even more crucial.
“We didn’t meet them in Indonesia, but we believe our players will give their best in the next match,” he added confidently.
The match between Thailand U23 and Malaysia U23 is set for September 9 at Thammasat Stadium, Pathum Thani, with both sides battling for a place in the final round of the continental competition.
Credit Photo : FAM
