Head coach Thawatchai Damrong-ongtrakul admitted his side had fallen short despite their attacking intent, reports the Bangkok Post.
“China have done really well, and I congratulate them for advancing for the first time,” he said. “We tried to play an attacking game to get three points but we could not achieve this.
“At the same time, I’m appreciative and proud of our players as they tried their best to score. We had a strong offence and defence but there were a lot of mistakes passing the ball.”
China, who finished second behind Australia, will now face Uzbekistan in the last eight.
Their Spanish coach Antonio Puche described the achievement as a landmark moment.
“This is history. We are going to enjoy the moment, because in football when you have a moment like this you have to enjoy it,” he said. “The group matches were totally different because all our opponents had varying styles and were all very tough.
“Thailand were fast, displayed good quality on the ball and were difficult to deal with. But our performance in all three matches was unbelievable. I’m proud of these fantastic players who believed in themselves and happy to be the first coach to take China PR into the next round.”
For Thailand, the frustration was evident among the players.
Winger Iklas Sanron reflected: “It was a pity that we could not continue our run to the quarter-finals. I believed that every player on the pitch, including the staff coaches, have done their best duties in this match.”
China’s goalkeeper Li Hao was again central to their progress, producing a string of saves to deny Thailand. Yet the broader story was one of resilience and belief, with Puche insisting his squad had grown through the group stage. “All our opponents were tough, but the players never stopped believing,” he said.
Elsewhere in the group, Australia came from behind to defeat Iraq 2-1, securing top spot and setting up a quarter-final encounter with South Korea.
War Elephants in Group B
Meanwhile, Thailand were confirmed as top seeds in Group B of the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup at the official draw in Jakarta yesterday.
The War Elephants, who finished runners-up last year, were drawn to face Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos.
Thailand coach Anthony Hudson, who attended the ceremony, on behalf of the Football Association of Thailand, welcomed the challenge.
“It is a competitive group, but we embrace the opportunity. Every match will be tough, and we must prepare with full focus,” he said.
The event was attended by AFF president Maj Gen Khiev Sameth and Indonesian FA chairman Erick Thohir, underscoring the significance of the milestone edition. The competition, first staged in 1996, has become Southeast Asia’s most fiercely contested football championship.
Defending champions Vietnam face a demanding path in Group A, drawn against Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and the winner of the playoff.
The group stage will run from July 24 to Aug 8 in a home-and-away format. The top two teams from each group will progress to semi-finals beginning on Aug 15 with the two-legged final scheduled for Aug 22 and 26.
Hudson stressed Thailand’s ambition to build on their runner-up finish in the previous edition. “We respect every opponent, but our goal is to go one better. The players know what is at stake,” he said.