Thais' defensive masterclass

Regional powerhouses Thailand moved a step closer in returning to the throne of South-east Asian football after they booked a place in the AFF Suzuki Cup final, following a 0-0 draw with Vietnam yesterday.

The Thais, 2-0 aggregate winners, will be playing in their ninth AFF Championship final.

The five-time winners face Indonesia, who have never won the regional title but have been runners-up five times. The two-legged affair will be played on Wednesday and on New Year's Day at the National Stadium.

Alexandre Polking, who became Thailand's head coach in September said: "I'm unbelievably proud of the players. The second half was amazing and they showed incredible team spirit. We knew this was a game of 180 minutes. It was important that we defended compactly (over two legs).

"I never thought I would say this but I am proud of the defending and it was a masterclass in defending. Today was important to show a good defensive display and it was good to see that we can do that."

Thailand, winners in 2014 and 2016, bowed out in the semi-finals at the 2018 edition. They came into this year's tournament determined to make amends.

And while they were unspectacular on the night, in front of 8,121 spectators, they were largely untroubled by the defending champions and able to protect their two-goal cushion from the first leg.

The Vietnamese started brightly and twice just before half-time, were presented with golden opportunities but failed to take them.

First, in the 43rd minute, defender Ho Tan Tai was left unmarked at the far post from a corner but his point-blank header went just wide. Two minutes later, Nguyen Quang Hai found himself in space just inside the box after being picked out from a low cross. The attacking midfielder, however, blazed his effort over the bar.

Those two misses seemed to haunt Vietnam, as they barely troubled their opponents after the interval. Head coach Park Hang-seo said: "We lost the game and we can't qualify to the final, and we must accept that."

While Thai attackers Teerasil Dangda and captain Chanathip Songkrasin, with six goals between them, have dominated headlines during this campaign, it is their backline who have provided the foundation for a title challenge.

Over two legs, Manuel Bihr and Kritsada Kaman have marshalled the defence perfectly. In six games at this tournament, the Thais have conceded just a single goal - during a 2-1 win over the Philippines in the group stage.

Such defensive solidity will be critical in the final against the swashbuckling Indonesians, who have scored a tournament-leading 18 goals.