Gawinthida Kikhunthod scored the opening goal in the 19th minute as Thailand defeated Bhutan 4-0 at Chonburi Stadium on October 5, 2026, to open its AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers campaign.
Midfielder Gawinthida Kikhunthod captained the side from the center of the pitch, anchoring a lineup that featured Mirica Sheila Murdoch and Kanokporn Wannatong as attacking focal points in front of local supporters at Chonburi Stadium.
Thailand Defeats Bhutan 4-0 in Group F Opener
Kanokporn Wannatong fired an initial shot that forced a save from Bhutanese goalkeeper Kelsang Wangmo, allowing Gawinthida to convert the rebound and break the deadlock. Just before the halftime whistle, Gawinthida delivered a corner kick into the box that Chantima Yahuu headed home to double the lead.
Substitute Sunisa Prathumwan came on in the 35th minute for Pavisuda Oanlam and nearly added a third immediately after the restart, only for a Bhutanese defender to clear her shot off the goal line. Thitirat Samrong eventually extended the margin to 3-0 in the 89th minute following a scramble inside the penalty area. Pornnapas Plubyai then capped the scoring during stoppage time by converting a pass from the captain to seal the 4-0 result.
Coach Thidarat Vivasukhu Targets Group Leadership and World Cup Qualification
The squad completed final preparations on October 4 at Inter Banbueng Field, reviewing tactical formations for both attack and defense under the guidance of the coaching staff.
We want to see everyone develop and we want to see quality gameplay. We believe that all three teams in our group who are competing are quality teams. We want the kids to step past being children to become national football players, and to be the group champion according to our goal.
Thidarat Vivasukhu, Head Coach
The qualification structure requires Thailand to finish atop Group F to guarantee passage to the tournament proper. In the group’s other opening fixture, Lebanon defeated Macau 6-0. The Group F matches run from October 5 through October 11 in Chonburi, featuring host Thailand alongside Bhutan, Macau, and Lebanon.
Road to China 2027 and the FIFA U17 World Cup in Morocco
Eight group winners from the qualifiers will advance to the final tournament held in the People’s Republic of China from March 31 to April 17, 2027, as part of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup China 2027.
Four Asian nations will earn qualification from that continental showcase as confederation representatives at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup 2027 in Morocco.
We are very ready now in terms of physical condition, and our tactics are coming together with good understanding. We have new players joining the camp this time. We had experience last year and maybe some disappointment, but this round we hope to go further than before.
Thailand continues its Group F schedule against Macau on October 8 at 19.00 local time, followed by a final group fixture against Lebanon on October 11, with all matches broadcast live on YouTube via BG Sports.