Thai midfielder Supachok Sarachat has restricted access to his Facebook account and disabled comments on Instagram following severe backlash from Vietnamese football fans over a controversial goal scored during the ASEAN Cup final.
Vietnam clinched its third ASEAN Cup title on Sunday night with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Thailand in the second leg, concluding with a 5-3 aggregate win.
The controversy erupted in the second half when Supachok took advantage of a throw-in to launch a long-range shot, putting Thailand ahead 2-1. This led to immediate protests from Vietnamese players, prompting the referee to momentarily halt the match.
The incident occurred after Vietnam goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu threw the ball out of play to allow medical assistance for midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc. Instead of returning the ball in a spirit of fair play, Supachok capitalized on the situation and scored, drawing criticism from fans for his perceived unsportsmanlike conduct.
Following the match, Supachok was inundated with critical and offensive messages on social media from Vietnamese supporters. The comments quickly turned to ridicule, highlighting Thailand’s defeat and taking jabs at Supachok’s goal.
The incident was widely viewed as lacking sportsmanship, and many across the region labeled Supachok’s actions as “shameful.”
By midnight on Monday, Supachok’s official Facebook page had become inaccessible, though it is unclear if this was due to deactivation or suspension. Additionally, he opted to disable comments on all of his Instagram posts.
Credit: VN Express
