Colombo: Anthony Hudson, head coach of the Thai national team, believes visiting Sri Lanka will not be easy, but is confident that the War Elephants can return with a victory.

According to Thai News Agency, the Thai national men’s football team, ranked 96th in the world, led by Chanathip Songkrasin, Teerathorn Bunmathan, Sarach Yooyen, and Benjamin Davis, officially trained at the Colombo Racecourse Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. This preparation is for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying round, Group D, matchday 5, against Sri Lanka, ranked 193rd in the world. All players were in good condition during the training session, which focused on tactics for the game and concluded with a finishing touch.

Anthony Hudson emphasized that visiting Sri Lanka poses challenges, particularly due to the physical characteristics, strength, and individual abilities of the Sri Lankan national team players. He noted that the Sri Lankan team performs well and presents difficulties. Despite these challenges, preparations have been made to address them. Hudson acknowledged Sri Lanka as a strong and quality team deserving of respect and honor. However, he expressed confidence that the team’s preparations are aimed at a single goal: winning. Hudson assured that the players have enough confidence to achieve their goals, even with only 2-3 days of preparation.

Historically, Thailand has dominated the last five meetings against Sri Lanka, winning each match. The most recent encounter was in the same tournament, where Thailand secured a 1-0 victory at home.

The Asian Cup 2027 qualifying round, Group D, matchday 5, Thailand vs. Sri Lanka, is scheduled to be played at Colombo Racecourse Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka, today at 5:15 p.m. Thailand time.