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The incident started in the 64th minute, Vietnam's goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu deliberately threw the ball out of play to allow medical staff to assist Nguyen Hoang Duc. When the match resumed, Thailand restarted play without returning the ball to Vietnam. The ball found Ben Davis, who passed it to Sarachat. The attacking midfielder then curled a shot into the top corner, stunning Vietnam's players and sparking outrage.
While the action was not against the rules, it broke the convention of fair play, where the ball is usually returned to the opposing team after being put out of play on purpose when a player needs medical attention.
His goal became the subject of widespread criticism from football fans across Asia and went viral online as an example of unsportsmanlike conduct.
Amid backlash, Sarachat posted an Instagram story to explain himself, stating that his action was not intentional as he was unaware of the situation that happened before he decided to score the goal.
Sarachat’s explanation continued to spark debates among Thai fans, with some supporting and others opposing the actions of their team's star player.
Account Athiwat Charoenchai commented: "In sports, the spirit of competition and fairness are always the most important factors. Whether it is fair or not for them to kick the ball out, that is still the spirit we should aim for."
Pichet Chet Choorak also agreed with this sentiment: "In the world of sports, the spirit of competition is always the most important factor. It is understandable that a national team player like Supachok feels pressured.
However, like many Thai people, I have to criticize because victory does not only come from a good player but also from other factors. In this case, Supachok admitted that he was too determined to win and lost himself in the moment. He said that he would not repeat this again, so please forgive him."
Supachok Sarachat's controversial goal against Vietnam in the second leg of the ASEAN Cup final on Jan. 5, 2025.
For many people, sportsmanship is more important than the result of the match.
User Juloh Deveeloh wrote: "Know how to win, know how to lose, know how to forgive. The most important thing is the spirit of sportsmanship, where respect, fairness and tolerance are always put first".
Another fan, Kavee Minni, criticized not only Sarachat's action but also the team's overall performance.
"Even when Thailand didn't play fair, they still lost. That makes me extremely disappointed with the team."
On the other hand, some fans sympathized with Sarachat and encouraged him.
User Jakaphatchara Buranabutr wrote: "I'm encouraging you. Do well, do your best. Keep going. No need to care about what happened."
Amnat Srisak had a similar comment: "Thai fans understand you. You have tried your best for the national team. Keep fighting."
Account Superbaby Ja-chaaem added: "You did a great job Supachok. Don't stress about what's happening. Thank you to all the players who tried their best and fought with all their hearts throughout the tournament, even though we couldn't win."
Sarachat, 26, is currently playing for Japanese club Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the J2 League. He had 37 caps for Thailand, scoring 10 goals.
