Thailand will walk onto the Pakansari pitch in Jakarta with inferior record of 0-2 (1-2 in 1998 and 0-3 in 2006) against the Middle Eastern team in the game that can be seen live on Workpoint Channel at 7pm.

The former national striker Worrawoot is well aware of how dangerous the Qatari team is. But he always reminds his boys never fear the opponents.

Worrawoot Srimakka 

“To be able to tackle with the big teams, you must fight with no fear. You have to remain focussed and stick to the game plan,” said Worrawoot.

“I have studied Qatar’s game. They can be very dangerous in every way. I have already prepared a game plan but we will have to see how they are going to play during the game,” Worrawoot said.

Women’s football team 

Meanwhile the women’s team will compete in Indonesia without ace goal keeper Waraporn Boonsing who was forced to rest due to long nagging injuries.

Thai-American forward Suchawadee Nildhamrong of California Golden Bears has been called to join the team instead.

The team will play their first match against Japan on August 16.

Anies inaugurated the Rp 102 billion (US$7 million) venues by symbolically signing several granite slabs at the JIBA in Rawamangun, East Jakarta.

“Indonesia is out of the ordinary […] people are always pessimistic about us, they think we’ll fail […] but we don’t,” he said, referring to how the city is rushing to complete multiple infrastructure projects ahead of the 18^th Asiad.

The 10 renovation projects only began in November 2017, while the JIBT was developed from January to July this year and the JIBA from April to July.

The renovation cost of the 10 sport centers was Rp 35.8 billion (US$ 2.4 million). The development of the JIBT and the JIBA was worth Rp 27 billion and Rp 39.3 billion respectively.

The governor claimed that the new BMX and baseball stadiums are world class. The BMX stadium reportedly achieved top “Class 1” certification from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) — the world governing body for sports cycling — while the new baseball stadium is “the best in Indonesia, even better than the one in Bung Karno Sports Stadium [GBK]”.

National team baseball player Rizki Ramadhan, who was present at the inauguration, differed from Anies’ enthusiasm.

“It’s standard,” he told The Jakarta Post, pointing out that, while the playing field meets international standards, the stadium itself does not impress in terms of additional facilities. (cal/nor)

Mohamed Salah opened his account for the season, Sadio Mane scored twice and Daniel Sturridge added a late fourth in an impressive display by Klopp’s men as £65 million ($83 million) goalkeeper Alisson Becker kept a clean sheet on debut.

Liverpool haven’t been crowned champions of England since 1989/90 and finished 25 points behind City last season.

But after reaching the Champions League final in May and spending more than anyone else in the Premier League in the off-season, there is palpable belief that wait will come to an end in May.

“We know about our expectations and noticed the very positive atmosphere around us in the whole pre-season,” said Klopp.

“It’s good people are positive, but the season again will be unbelievably hard.”

Klopp has tried to keep a lid on expectations given the gap to City last season despite spending a reported £170 million.

“We cannot be anything different than the challenger because we have not won anything since I’ve been in (charge), a long time. We have to invest more, fight more,” he added.

“West Ham will play a good season but they are not the (Manchester) Uniteds or (Manchester) Citys. We have to be ready week in, week out for the different challenges.”

– Salah starts over –

There was little tinkering for Klopp to do up front after Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino combined for 91 goals last season, and they again provided the firepower to outclass a sorry West Ham despite their own near £100 million outlay on nine new players.

Salah and Mane’s pain at international level was Liverpool’s gain as early exits at the World Cup with Egypt and Senegal meant they could join the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, unlike a host of Premier League stars who returned to training just last week after their exertions in Russia.

A revelation in his first season at Anfield with 44 goals in all competitions, Salah is now a marked man.

Yet, he was given the simplest of tasks to tap home the opener into an empty net on 19 minutes from Andy Robertson’s pinpoint cross after he was freed down the left by the impressive Keita.

Salah should have had more as he was well picked out by a bursting run by Firmino only to place his shot too close to Lukasz Fabianski, who also made a brilliant save to turn Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick behind.

Fabianski was by far the busier ‘keeper with Alisson making just one comfortable save and impressing far more with his feet to launch a series of Liverpool attacks.

The hosts finally doubled their lead to give the score the half-time reflection it deserved when another teasing Robertson cross was pulled across goal by James Milner and Mane left unmarked to side-foot home.

Mane produced a fine finish for his second eight minutes after the break after good work by Firmino, but had the linesman to thank just as much for the assist as he somehow wasn’t flagged offside before firing past Fabianski.

Former City and Real Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini is used to competing at the top of the table.

Yet, despite the vast investment in the East Londoners, on this evidence Pellegrini will do well to better West Ham’s 13th-placed finish last season as the visitors were happy to limit the damage after the break.

“Every time that you bring so many players it is difficult. We are just starting the season, but we need to analyse this game,” said Pellegrini. “We are clear and sure that we need to improve.”

Sturridge inflicted the final blow two minutes from time with his first touch after replacing Salah.

Guardiola’s side featured a host of players who told the City boss they were ready to play at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday despite their draining World Cup duty in Russia.

Several, including England stars Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones, cut short their holidays to get back into training with City.

And, despite just a week of sessions on the practice pitch, City picked up where they left off last term with a confident display that easily put Arsenal to the sword.

Raheem Sterling opened the scoring with a cool finish early in the first half before Bernardo Silva lashed in City’s second after the interval, leaving Guardiola to sing the champions’ praises.

“We played a high level considering the lack of physical condition for many of the players who arrived back late after the World Cup,” he said.

“Many players did a sacrifice, Stones, Walker, we trained for only one week but the spirit is there.

“In general to be at this moment of the season, with the desire to run and run, it was the same last season.

“First game of the season, away at Arsenal with a new manager after 20 years? No-one can deny it is complicated, so to win the way we won is more than pleasing.”

City look as hungry as ever despite their record-breaking success last season, when they won the title with a record 100 points and also lifted the League Cup.

Installed as heavy favourites to finish top again — which would make them the first team to defend the title since Manchester United in 2008-09 — City’s ruthless performance was ominous for their rivals.

And Guardiola twisted the knife by insisting City are still some way from their peak.

Asked how much motivation his players have, Guardiola said: “It is not a question that needs an answer. I can say to the players ‘are you hungry?’ and they say yes boss but I don’t know. They show me on the green stuff (the pitch).

“We are not going to judge what is going to happen after one game but we try to respond, we try to be ourselves.

“The way we won is so important for us, for our confidence, now we move forward. Of course our average level is high, but I have a feeling still we can improve.

“The winter time is coming. Lots of things happen. The best way to defend it is to be calm.

“We spoke about this before the game. they know they can do it. We are a strong team, after that we will see.”

One difference for City this season is the presence of Benjamin Mendy at left-back.

The France international missed most of last season with an injury and Guardiola admitted his return is still a work in progress.

“Mendy is Mendy. Sometime you want to kill him and sometimes you say ‘wow what a player we have’,” he said.

“He has a lot of things to improve. Hopefully we can convince him to be calm and forget the social media!”

It was a chastening introduction to the Premier League for new Arsenal manager Unai Emery, who has replaced Arsene Wenger following the Frenchman’s 22-year reign.

Wenger left Arsenal in a mess after last season’s sixth place finish and Emery acknowledged the gulf in class between City and his team showed how much work he could do.

“We needed more but I am happy with the players, they run and fight,” Emery said.

“Today is the first step. We need to do the process my way. City are working three years with Guardiola, building a team with good players and great stability.

“We finished with the spirit I want. I think we need to improve. This process is normal.

“With more time we will play with this personality.”

In a gruelling 2hr 41min battle, French Open champion Halep prevailed 7-6 (8/6), 3-6, 6-4 over Stephens in a repeat of the duo’s meeting in the final of Roland Garros earlier this year.

The victory was Halep’s 18th career title and her second in Montreal following her success in 2016.

The 26-year-old sealed the win with an ace on her fourth match point, capping an enthralling duel marked by several momentum swings.

Halep had taken the first set on a tie-break, after saving four set points against American third seed Stephens.

Halep made the stronger start, dictating rallies from the baseline to race into a 4-1 lead after twice breaking Stephens in the opening five games.

Yet reigning US Open champion Stephens rallied superbly to claw her way back into the contest, breaking twice to level at 4-4.

That however proved to be the cue for Halep to respond, breaking back after a net cord sat up invitingly for the Romanian, who crushed a winner into the corner for 5-4.

Another poor service game from Halep though gave the initiative back to Stephens, who broke for 5-5 and then held for a 6-5 lead.

Stephens appeared to be closing in on the first set in the next game, when a wild forehand from Halep — her 20th unforced error — handed her opponent two set points.

But Halep dug deep to save both points and then forced the tie-break.

Stephens again looked to be on the brink of the first set after surging into a 5-1 lead which soon became 6-4 in the tiebreak.

But once again the American was unable to seal the deal, Halep recovering to win the next four points for 8-6.

Stephens responded brilliantly in the second set however, breaking Halep twice in the first three games before advancing into a 5-3 lead.

Once again though Stephens appeared to be on her way to squandering the momentum, wasting three set points in the ninth game before finally converting her to force a decisive third set.

Both players traded early breaks in the decider before Halep secured the 13th break of the match in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead.

A hold left her 4-2 up and she bagged another break in the seventh game to go 5-2 ahead when Stephens wearily duffed a straightforward volley into the net.

Stephens refused to go quietly though, saving a match point before breaking for 5-3, and then saving two more match points to hold.

Halep was not to be denied however, thumping down an ace to seal a memorable win on her next service game.

Success in just under one and three-quarter hours handed the 32-year-old Spaniard a record extending 33rd trophy at the elite Masters level as he won his 80th career title and claimed his 40th match victory of the season.

During the trophy ceremony, the many local flag-waving Greeks in the crowd sang Happy Birthday to their new tennis hero.

“Happy Birthday to Stefanos,” Nadal added. “Well done, you have a great future.

“It’s been almost 10 years (2010) since I last played in Toronto,” Nadal said of the event which comes to the city in even-number years as it trades with Montreal.

“I’ve missed you, I want to try and come more often. This trophy means a lot.

“I try to play every match with the highest possible passion, it’s a special feeling that I have on court.”

Tsitsipas took a defeat on his 20th birthday to conclude the tennis week of his life, which saw him beat four Top 10 opponent in a row to reach the title match.

“It’s been an amazing week for me,” the finalist said. “This trophy means a lot after playing my first Masters 1000 final.

“… such a feeling, what a vibe,” he added.

Nadal added the Canadian honour to the titles he won in 2005, 2008 and 2013.

The final featured a plot twist at the end, with Nadal broken while serving for victory leading a set and 5-4.

Tsitsipas would not buckle, making it 5-5 as Nadal hit the net, with the set finally going into a tiebreaker.

Nadal regained control, earning a match point on a Tsitsipas forehand error.

The Spanish top seed and world number one concluded victory with a forehand winner deep into the corner.

Nadal now heads to Cincinnati for next week’s concluding major tuneup before the US Open.

He now owns four titles this season and has clinched the first spot in the year-end finals in London.

The 28-year-old two-time US Open champion sealed his third major title by firing a four-under-par 66 to finish 72 holes on 16-under 264, edging Woods by two strokes at Bellerive Country Club with Australia’s Scott another shot adrift.

“To do this is truly incredible,” Koepka said.

As Woods electrified spectators by displaying the form that made him a 14-time major champion, American rival Koepka stayed calm and persevered under intense pressure to claim the Wanamaker Trophy and a top prize of $1.98 million (1.73 million euros).

“I heard all the roars when Tiger made his run,” Koepka said. “It was fun. It made it enjoyable.

“It’s my focus. For some reason the majors get my attention. When you’re firing at flags you have to be calm and focus on every shot.”

Deadlocked for the lead with Scott — who began the back nine with three birdies in four holes — and only one stroke ahead of Woods, Koepka sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-4 15th and a six-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th then parred the last two holes to secure the victory.

“I missed putts on 14 and 15 and Brooks didn’t and my momentum was gone,” Scott said. “I’m definitely playing better and in the right direction and that’s a positive.”

Woods, who hasn’t won a major title since the 2008 US Open and hasn’t won any title in five years, proved he is a legitimate major title contender once again at age 42 with an epic 64 which he concluded with a 20-foot birdie putt at 18, the crowd roaring as he walked off.

“These fans were so positive all week,” Woods said. “I can’t thank them enough for what they were saying out there and what it meant to me coming back trying to win a major championship again.”

– ‘Mind-blowing’ –

Koepka, who defended his US Open crown in June at Shinnecock, became only the fifth player to win the US Open and PGA Championship in the same year, joining Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan.

And it came in a season where he missed the Masters with a left wrist injury.

“Going from that to even being able to play this year to this, it’s absolutely mind blowing,” Koepka said.

In his eighth month of a comeback season after spinal fusion surgery and years of back injuries, Woods grinded out four birdies against a lone bogey on both the front and back nines but could never draw level with Koepka, settling for his seventh career major runner-up finish.

“I played hard,” Woods said. “Bit of a struggle with my game. I was hanging in there, grinding it out trying to make as many birdies as possible.”

Crowds cheered the veteran through a thrilling round that saw him miss every front-nine fairway but take only 10 putts, scrambling from dirt, trees and bunkers to stay in the hunt.

“It was a struggle until I found a little bit of something on the back nine,” Woods said. “I was hanging in there with my mind and it got me through.”

Woods, who said he wants to be chosen as a captain’s pick for the US Ryder Cup team, was pleased he was able to contend at the PGA and lead in the last round of last month’s British Open.

“I would never have forseen that a year ago,” Woods said.

The impact was dramatic for rivals as well.

“The roars were pretty unbelievable,” second-ranked 2017 PGA winner Justin Thomas said. “Any birdie he made everyone went nuts. This was the first real Tiger effect I’ve experienced with that many people.”

Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, missed a short birdie putt at the par-5 17th and made bogey 18 to finish third but was pleased with his overall effort.

“I was feeling really good out there, especially as he back nine got going,” Scott said. “I didn’t play the last two holes very well.”

A day after announcing the national squad, which consists of no J-League stars, the squad left for Indonesia yesterday morning and went for a training session in the afternoon at the Padhaharan Stadium.

They play their opening game against Qatar in Group B tomorrow at the Pakansari Stadium at 7pm Bangkok time.

Worrawoot said his side was almost 100 per cent ready for action. Only Chiangrai United defender Suriya Singmui has a minor injury and Chiang Mai midfielder Ekanit Panya, the youngest of the team at only 18, was due to fly to Indonesia later.

“I already have a rough line-up in mind for the game with Qatar. There’s only a few things to adjust before the game,” said Worrawoot.

“I want my players to remain really focused and never fear the opponents. They are capable of handling any team,” added the under-23 national coach.

Apart from Qatar, Thailand will play Bangladesh on August 16 and Uzbekistan on August 19. Only the two top teams from six groups and the four best third-placed finishers will move to the round of 16.

Thailand’s best attempt in the Asian Games were fourth-place finishes in 1998, 2002 and 2014. Workpoint will beam live the Thailand-Qatar match from 7pm onwards.

Players during the training at Padhaharan Stadium

Worrawoot Srimakka 

Tottenham also made light of discontent over their lack of summer transfer activity by resisting a late Newcastle onslaught to win 2-1 at St James’ Park thanks to goals from Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli.

Richarlison struck twice on debut for 10-man Everton to show he may justify his £50 million price tag and hold highly-fancied Wolves 2-2 on their return to the top flight.

And Watford, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace picked up 2-0 wins on the opening weekend of the season.

Chelsea have endured a turbulent pre-season with Sarri replacing fellow Italian Antonio Conte less than a month before the campaign got underway.

The Londoners also smashed their transfer record and set a new world-record fee for a goalkeeper in splashing 80 million euros (£72 million, $92 million) on Kepa Arrizbalaga this week after Thibaut Courtois departed for Real Madrid.

“The situation until now has been very difficult. On Monday four players from the World Cup arrived and then on Tuesday another two, so it’s not been easy for me at the moment,” said Sarri, who believes it will take two months for his side to be at their best.

But Kepa was rarely troubled in recording a clean sheet as the visitors’ greater quality told at the John Smith’s Stadium after a slow start.

“The game was more difficult than the result. If you see the result you think it was a very easy match but in the first half it was very difficult against physical opponents,” said Sarri.

Crucially Chelsea have held onto Eden Hazard, but while the Belgian was only deemed fit enough for a place on the bench following his World Cup exertions, N’Golo Kante was thrown straight into the side after starring in Russia for world champions France.

Kante has been deployed in a more advanced role due to Jorginho’s arrival and was on the end of Willian’s cross to open the scoring 11 minutes before half-time.

Moments later Marcos Alonso was upended inside the area and Jorginho cheekily slotted home after a hop in his run up wrong-footed Ben Hamer.

Hazard was introduced for the final 15 minutes and looked keen to make up for lost time as he teed up Pedro Rodriguez to round off the scoring.

– Pochettino pleads for unity –

Tottenham have had a much quieter summer after becoming the first Premier League side since the transfer window was introduced in 2003 to not make a single signing.

But manager Mauricio Pochettino has insisted he is happy just to have retained a host of players who excelled at the World Cup and it was two of them who handed Spurs all three points at Newcastle.

Vertonghen and Alli struck either side of Joselu’s equaliser for the Magpies with all three goals coming in the first 18 minutes.

“It is important to be strong from the beginning and have belief and convey a positive message,” Pochettino said.

“It is important the fans know the players need their help.”

– Promoted sides struggle –

At Molineux, Richarlison quietened criticism of Everton’s splurge to reunite him with former Watford boss Marco Silva as the Brazilian twice put Everton in front.

The visitors were reduced to 10 men five minutes before half-time when Phil Jagielka was shown a straight red card and Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez hit back to salvage a point for the hosts.

Like Wolves, Fulham earned rave reviews for their summer business, outspending United and City, in signing 12 new players.

But there was no instant return on that investment as Jeffrey Schlupp and Wilfried Zaha scored either side of half-time to give Palace a 2-0 win at Craven Cottage.

Roberto Pereyra scored twice as Watford were too good for Brighton.

Bournemouth were also comfortable victors over promoted Cardiff thanks to goals from Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson.

The Greek, who turns 20 on Sunday, will aim for the title against either top seed Rafael Nadal or Russian Karen Khachanov after saving a match point against Anderson.

Tsitsipas became the first player since 2014 to beat four top 10 players in a Masters 1000 event; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did it here in 2014.

He is the first unseeded finalist in Canada since Nicolas Kiefer in 2008.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than playing a Masters 1000 final,” the winner said.

“It’s all unbelievable. I would have probably never thought this could happen so fast.

“I’ve really improved my game a lot. A year ago I was playing a Challenger in Slovenia.”

Tsitsipas worked for two hours, 48 minutes to secure his upset of the hard-serving South African, with Anderson going down with 10 aces.

Tsitsipas will be playing his second ATP final after losing to Nadal on clay in Barcelona in the spring.

The youngster who beat second seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals after also accounting for Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic in earlier rounds, advanced on his third match point.

The outcome was decided in a tight third-set tiebreaker, with Tsitsipas blowing his first two winning chances with a double-fault and a forehand error.

Anderson missed out on a match point off his own serve as Tsitsipas slammed over a backhand cross-court winner.

The winner saved all four break points he faced while breaking Anderson once in the afternoon struggle.

“It’s obviously incredibly difficult losing a match like where it’s so close at such a big stage of the tournament,” Anderson said.

“I did what I could. I thought he played some really good tennis, especially when it mattered the most.

“On the one match point that I had, he  came up with an unbelievable backhand cross-court winner – it was a very impressive effort from him.”

Victory assured Tsitsipas the 15th ranking after starting this week on 27th.