Teedech Songsaisakul of Thailand won the inaugural Gold medal in the EA SPORTS FC Online football game, previously known as FIFA Online 4, at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
In the process, Songsaisakul etched his name into Esports history as the first individual Gold medallist in the Asian Games Esports event.
In the best-of-three final, Songsaisakul faced off against his compatriot Phatanasak Varanan and emerged victorious in straight games. The competition followed a double-elimination format, requiring Varanan to battle his way through the loser's bracket final earlier in the evening against Republic of Korea’s Kwak Jun-hyouk. Meanwhile, Songsaisakul had secured his spot in the overall final as the top seed and the favoured contender.
Songsaisakul and Varanan after the final match
In the first game of the final, Varanan gained an early lead by skilfully netting a goal from the edge of the box. This score held until halftime, but the second half brought a flurry of action. Songsaisakul leveled the score on 53 minutes with a close-range, but Varanan responded almost immediately with a goal from the inside. Songsaisakul then found the net to take the lead, while Varanan's stoppage-time effort from range struck the crossbar. This gave Songsaisakul a 1-0 advantage in the overall contest.
Songsaisakul and Varanan facing off in the finals
The second set unfolded as a one-sided affair, with Songsaisakul taking the lead with 4 goals, although Varanan managed to score a consolation goal. Ultimately, Songsaisakul secured a resounding 2-0 overall victory.
Kwak of the Republic of Korea claimed the bronze medal after a 1-2 defeat to Varanan in the losers' bracket final. Varanan initially secured the opening set with a 2-1 win, but Kwak levelled the overall score with a scrappy penalty shootout victory. However, Varanan's shrewd game management in the deciding set allowed him to secure a 1-0 win and advance to the overall final.
Kwak and Varanan during the Bronze medal match
Victory Ceremony
Mr. Wei Jizhong, OCA Honorary Vice President, and Mr. Santi Lothong, President of Thailand Esports Federation presented the medals and flower bouquet during the Victory Ceremony
ITOs on duty
The grand stage