In a tightly contested match, Thailand was in a slump, taking only six shots in the match and failing to make the scoreline despite having nine shots on goal. Tajikistan, on the other hand, despite having only 25 shots, eight of which were on target, were able to break through in the 91st minute late in the game to shut out Thailand 1-0.
Both Tajikistan and Thailand have three points after this match, but Tajikistan climbed to third place in the group with a better win-loss record, while Thailand was unlucky to slip to fourth place in the group and bid farewell to this year's tournament.
Initially, a win for Thailand would have allowed them to advance on goal difference and goals scored, even if they were tied with Saudi Arabia and Iraq on six points. However, the team's ranking has now dropped from second to fourth in the group.
With a goal difference of minus 4 and a goal difference of only 2, Thailand was the worst performing team in the group, not even as good as the Chinese National Olympic Team. In the final round of the tournament, the Chinese National Olympic Team beat the UAE 2-1, earning 3 points and securing third place in the group, with a goal difference of -2. Had they not been in the same group with Japan and South Korea, they might have had a chance to make it to the last eight and retain the spark for Olympic qualification.
