KUALA LUMPUR: Thailand and Malaysia battled to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final on Saturday night. The deciding second leg will be played on Wednesday in Bangkok.
Malaysia enjoyed a 62:38 edge in possession but the visitors defended doggedly throughout the match. Of the hosts’ 14 shots, only two were on target and seven were blocked.
The visitors, meanwhile, appeared to have left their shooting boots in Bangkok, managing only four shots, none on target.
Thailand, the defending Suzuki Cup champion, is carrying extra motivation into the final stages of this year’s tournament, with 30 million baht in prize money plus bonuses up for grabs.
In the other semifinal on Sunday, Group B runners-up the Philippines host Vietnam in the first leg in Bacolod city.
The winning side in this year's tournament will pocket US$300,000 (about 10 million baht), while the runner-up will receive $100,000. The losing semi-finalists will earn $50,000 each.
The Thai side has already been promised 4 million baht in bonuses for group stage victories over Indonesia and Singapore by team director Kitisak Jumpathippong, who has also committed himself to rewarding the players with another 10 million baht if they can win their sixth regional title overall.
The Football Association of Thailand is hoping to raise an additional 5 million baht in bonuses for the national team stars, carrying the total to almost 30 million baht in cash rewards.
