The Kingdom took an early lead in the second minute with Prat Samakrat heading home a corner.

An own goal in the 11th minute set back Iraq, who had levelled in the ninth minute. Nirut Khamsawat drove home four minutes later and Apichet Puttan took the game beyond Iraq with a 58th minute goal. The visitors found the net in the 43rd and 90th minutes to reduce the margin and bringing some kind of respectability.

Thai head coach Chanvit Pholchivin said he was very happy with the performance of his players who were playing together as a team for only the second time.

“The result was very satisfying. The players clicked as a team and the teamwork was palpable,” he said.

“We have been Asean-centric all along. We must grow up. Our focus should henceforth be on teams such as China, North and South Korea and teams from the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, the second plastic football tournament “Thailand Cup”, presented by Foremost, started yesterday at the MCC Hall, the Mall Bangkapi with 128 teams from all over the country taking part.

A plastic football is used in the competition. Each team consists of four junior high school students and their teachers play as goalkeepers.

The main objective of the tournament is to strengthen the bond between students and teachers besides encouraging them to play street soccer. The winners will get Bt50,000 prize money. Atthawit School are the defending champions.

Real upbeat

nReal Madrid are confident they can spike the Gunners when Arsenal come calling next week for the pair’s Champions League showdown, media yesterday quoted French veteran Zinedine Zidane and Brazilian Roberto Carlos as saying.

“In this atmosphere we'll certainly eliminate Arsenal ... and we can aspire to win the European Cup also,” As sports daily quoted Zidane.