Thailand take on Kyrgyzstan in the round 1 match of Asian Cup group stage. The match will be played on Tuesday, January 16th at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium (Doha).
Thailand decided not to make special preparations for the tournament and played only one friendly match, losing 0-5 to Japan at the beginning of January. Overall, the Thai national team is quite modest, not a contender to represent Asia at global forums, struggling against relatively strong opponents. Last year, Thailand tested its strength against European teams, managing a decent 1-1 draw with Estonia but suffered an embarrassing 0-8 defeat to Georgia, which looks quite indecent. Bookmakers slightly favor Thailand in this encounter, but judging by recent results, Kyrgyzstan is no weaker and, in some aspects, even more preferable. At least the Kyrgyz team actively prepared for this tournament, played numerous matches, and occasionally showed good results. So, Thailand's favorite status appears doubtful.
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Previously, Kyrgyzstan couldn't show anything noteworthy, but now they demonstrate relatively average results. The team played four matches leading up to this tournament, and results varied but showed improvement. In late December, Kyrgyzstan lost to Uzbekistan 1-4, followed by a 0-1 defeat to the UAE a few days later. In early January, they drew 1-1 with Syria, and their preparation concluded with a victory over Vietnam 2-1. Perhaps the team's peak form will coincide with the start of the tournament, especially since Thailand doesn't appear to be a very serious opponent. The teams have never played against each other, so there's no historical context to consider. Overall, both teams had a similar level of performance last year, but in my opinion, Kyrgyzstan is in slightly better shape for this championship.
The match is crucial, as Saudi Arabia is likely to take the top position in the group, while Thailand, Kyrgyzstan, and Oman will compete for the second spot. This match seems to lean towards a draw, but in my view, Kyrgyzstan is currently in slightly better condition. Therefore, I'll choose the X2 betting option.
Prediction for the match: Kyrgyzstan not to lose (X2).
