Nat Phoptham Phopham Thamcharoenjai cycled all the way to Hà Nội to support Thailand. — Photo Facebook Nat Phoptham Phopham Thamcharoenjai.

HÀ NỘI — A Thai football fan has cycled 1,400km from Phitsanulok City to Hà Nội to support his team at the World Cup qualifier today.

“I pedaled to Mỹ Đình National Stadium where the match between Việt Nam and Thailand will take place. I hope the Thai team will get a good result here,” said Nat Phoptham Phopham Thamcharoenjai on his Facebook page.

Thamcharoenjai began his journey to Việt Nam on November 11 and reached Mỹ Đình National Stadium on November 17.

Thai fans are very enthusiastic. Earlier, during the match against with Việt Nam at Thammasat Stadium in September in which the two sides tied goalless, a fan ran more than 10 laps around the stadium in the hope that their team would win.

According to Thai media, the match with Việt Nam today will be tense for coach Akira Nishino and his team as Thailand lost to Malaysia on November 14 and dropped to second position in group G with seven points, while Việt Nam are on top with 10 points after four matches.

Many fans are buying tickets for the match on the black market, with prices up more than tenfold from the original value.

People buy tickets for the match outside Mỹ Đình National Stadium. — Photo baogiaothong.vn

Tickets priced VNĐ200,000 (US$8.6) are being sold for VNĐ3 million ($130), while those priced at VNĐ500,000 ($21) are going for VNĐ9 million ($390). — VNS