Thais blank Azkals in Suzuki Cup semifinals

Thailand’s Charyl Yannic Chappuis, right, attempts to score past Philippines’ Manuel Santos Aguinaldo during the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup final rounds group at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila on Saturday Dec. 6, 2014. The Philippine Azkals got bundled out in the semifinal round, this time by a young and hungry Thailand side which proved too classy and came away with a masterful 3-0 victory at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on Wednesday, Dec. 11. AP PHOTO/BULLIT MARQUEZ

BANGKOK—The campaign that started in scintillating fashion more than two weeks ago in Hanoi came to a devastating end at the hands of a long-time conqueror here.

For the third straight AFF Suzuki Cup, the Philippine Azkals got bundled out in the semifinal round, this time by a young and hungry Thailand side which proved too classy and came away with a masterful 3-0 victory at Rajamangala Stadium Wednesday night.

The Azkals conceded an early goal and struggled to settle into the game in the early goings. By the time they looked like they were finally making inroads early in the second half, the Azkals got hit by sucker punch in the form of Kroekrit Thawikan’s 59th minute strike.

The Azkals started on a high note with two straight wins, scoring eight goals against Laos and Indonesia, but lost steam against Vietnam in the final group match.

After a goalless standoff in the first leg against the Thais in Manila last Saturday, hopes were high for an Azkals’ upset here. But the Thais, buoyed by a boisterous crowd of 45,000, took the game to the Azkals early on and hardly relinquished control.

Thai midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin, at 5-foot-3, was the smallest player on the pitch. But he found himself unmarked inside the area and fired a precise shot to the bottom corner in the 6th minute to give the Thais the lead.

With Daisuke Sato having trouble coping with the threat on the Thais’ right flank, coach Thomas Dooley was forced into an early substitution, bringing in Patrick Reichelt.

But Reichelt could only send his header straight at Thai keeper Kawin Thamsatchanan late in the first half in what was the Azkals’ best chance in the first 45 minutes.

The Azkals began the second half with an air of confidence in their play. Manny Ott and Jerry Lucena momentarily stamped their authority at midfield while Martin Steuble got forward from the leftback position and forced a fine save from Kawin in the 52nd minute.

The Thais caught the Azkals on the counter seven minutes later as Kroekrit got behind Simone Rota and kept his composure to beat Patrick Deyto in the 59th minute.

The introduction of Mark Hartmann and Chris Greatwich failed to turn the tide for the Azkals whose downfall was hastened when Steuble was sent off for a second yellow card in the 82nd minute.

Kroekrit beat Deyto anew for the Thais’ third goal.