Thai clobber NZ to take 3rd in Senior World Cup
Gotcha - but just a little bit over the line. New Zealand's Nicholas Clere concedes the third goal.
The final was between Australia and Iran, but the match the local crowd came to Surakul Stadium to watch yesterday was the battle for third place in the Seniors World Cup, between Thailand and New Zealand.
As the Thai teens jammed into the stadium screamed their approval (or simply screamed to show they could do it louder than the other kids), Thailand utterly dominated the match.
Partly this may have been because the humidity felt like it was around 2,000%. That, combined with a temperature not far off 35º had the Kiwis looking like limp lettuce in no time. Added to that was the state of the pitch, waterlogged after recent heavy rain, resulting in any ground ball going about five yards before stopping, throwing up a tail of water like a jet-ski. It was slippery out there.
This game's a scream! Teens celebrate another goal for the home side.
The Thais, naturally more used to such conditions, ran rings around the cautious Kiwis. The contrast between the two sides’ styles of play could not have been greater – the Kiwis playing tentative triangles – forward, sideways, back – and the Thais playing long fast passes, swinging play joyfully from side to side, always pushing for the far goal.
At times it seemed as though Thailand had three times as many players on the pitch as New Zealand did. Whenever a Kiwi got hold of the ball, the Thais were all over him. Whenever a Thai got hold of it, chances were 50-50 there was no Kiwi anywhere near.
NZ goalie Nicholas Clere got stacks of exercise as the Thais fired shot after shot at his goal. Eventually, the fusillade took its toll – it had to; sheer weight of numbers. Final score: 3-1.
Oh yes, and the final: Australia 4, Iran 1. Congratulations to all you old blokes. A fine afternoon’s entertainment.
