Midfielder Jonathan Khemdee has stated that he is confident of defeating Vietnam in order to secure the top spot in Group B, and to boost morale ahead of the 32nd SEA Games semi-finals.

Both Thailand and Vietnam have already secured their place in the semi-finals after winning all three of their previous matches. However, the match between the two teams on May 11 will be crucial in deciding the group winner. Thailand currently has a better goal difference (+7 vs +5) and only requires a draw to finish at the top of the table.

Thai Midfielder Jonathan Khemdee

Despite this, Khemdee has insisted that he and his teammates will be aiming for victory, saying, “We always want to win every match. In particular, beating Vietnam will help raise our spirits.” Thailand has won 16 gold medals in the SEA Games, making them the most successful team, while Vietnam has won the last two gold medals. In the 2019 SEA Games, Thailand led by two goals but were eliminated from the group stage after Vietnam managed to equalize the scoreline. Vietnam went on to win the gold medal by defeating Cambodia and Indonesia.

Khemdee was born in 2001 in Denmark and grew up playing for the Odense Boldklub club. He was previously called up to the Thai team for the AFF Cup 2020 at the age of 18, but had to withdraw due to stomach pain while the team was stationed in Singapore. He joined Ratchaburi of Thailand in 2023.

Coach Philippe Troussier has stated that he may rotate the squad for the match against Thailand to improve the team’s strength ahead of the semi-finals. Thailand’s coach Issara Sritaro has a similar view and said that he may change half the squad. Sritaro also emphasized the importance of calculating personnel for the semi-finals due to the thick schedule of the SEA Games.

The match between Thailand and Vietnam will take place on May 11 at Prince Stadium at 19:00.

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Source: Vietnam Insider