After suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of North Korea in the opener, Thailand rekindled their hopes of qualifying for the final qualifying round by chalking up an unimpressive but vital 1-0 away victory over unfancied India a fortnight ago.

The result not only put the Kingdom's campaign back on track but also provided a huge boost to Prapol Pongpanich's side, which is currently lying third in the group, ahead of their crucial match against pacesetters Iraq.

Given the situation in the war-torn country, the game is to be played at a neutral venue in Jordan. Apart from contending with the five-hour time difference, Thailand also faces chilly conditions in Jordan's capital where the temperature could reach as low as 8 degrees Celsius, a situation which threatens to dent the visitors' hopes of taking something from the game.

"We're quite nervous about this game as it will have a significant consequence for our campaign. We have to cope with the bitter cool weather coupled with strong winds which might play a role in deciding the outcome," said Kasem.

"Thailand and Iraq are in the same situation as both are looking for a victory. We will adjust our system from the usual 3-5-2 to the defensive 5-4-1 formation, with Teeratep [Winothai] taking up the role as the lone striker. We must not concede a goal in the opening period and try to put more pressure on the home side in the second half.

"Their players are taller than us but opt to keep the ball on the ground. I think they'll adopt long-ball tactics when they face us because of their physical advantage. We have to tighten our defence for such a threat. I told the lads to contain their tempers as the hosts might try to provoke us. I think a draw would be a great result for us under the circumstances," said Kasem.

Prapol is hoping the good work in training will put his side in good stead in the crunch game.