Synopsis: The Straits Times tackles the talking points in sport every second and fourth week of the month.

Fans from across Asean will shift their attention from events in Qatar to South-east Asia's premier football tournament when the 2022 AFF Championship gets underway from Dec 20 till Jan 16, 2023. The biennial football competition is organised by the Asean Football Federation (AFF).

Six-time champions Thailand are looking to successfully defend the title that they won at the last edition but will face stiff competition from favourites Vietnam and the likes of Indonesia and Malaysia. The Lions will look to at least reach the last four, a feat that they achieved in the previous tournament. 

In this episode, ST sports reporter Deepanraj Ganesan is joined by two men who have won the tournament before - Singapore national team captain Hariss Harun and Thailand head coach Alexandre Polking. They discuss what the tournament means and  expectations of their teams.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:46 What does the AFF Championship mean to Hariss and Polking?

5:09 How have the Lions reacted to the injuries to star striker Ikhsan Fandi?

9:06 Expectations for defending champions Thailand

11:35 Why Vietnam are the favourites

13:49 What can fans expect from Singapore and Thailand?

Read more: https://str.sg/wyiW

Produced by: Deepanraj Ganesan ([email protected]), Eden Soh and Teo Tong Kai

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai

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Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

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