A stoppage time Diogo penalty was enough to take Buriram to the brink of regaining the league title with three games to go. Buriram will be crowned champions if they can avoid defeat at home to BEC Tero on Wednesday November 8, 7pm.
The game is ALREADY a sell-out !
Buriram knew that rivals Muang Thong could only manage a draw against Thai Port earlier so a win would all but guarantee them the title. They were not helped by a referee who denied them two clear penalties in the space of a minute but he did eventually point to the spot when Diogo was flattened for the third time.
It wasn’t a classic performance as Buriram struggled to create clear scoring chances. There was no starting place for Supachok, despite his outstanding performance at Chiang Rai. Questions have to be asked as to why when Jakkaphan continues to disappoint.
Buriram’s cause was also not helped with the early departure of the influential Seul-Ki following a bang on his thigh, leaving them short of a genuine play-maker.
Suphanburi started brightly forcing a couple of corners before Seul-Ki was injured in a late challenge which the referee did not punish. A sign of things to come. He was replaced by Suchao.
Diogo was on target with a thirty yard free-kick in the 18th minute but the keeper was not seriously troubled. A minute later the Brazilian broke down the right and put over a superb ball for Coelho who made a complete hash of it.
Suchao then picked up his customary yellow card in the 22nd minute, following a rash challenge. Diogo fired in a low thirty-yard shot in the 36th minute but it was straight at the keeper.
So all-square with neither keeper being seriously troubled.
Diogo continued to be Buriram’s only real threat and he burst clear on goal in the 60th minute only to be brought down just outside the area. It looked a clear red card which the referee duly issued. However, replays showed that the defender actually tried to pull his leg back out of the way and he can consider himself rather unfortunate.
The game’s first real clear-cut chance came six minutes later when a lovely team move saw Diogo break down the left before pulling the ball back to the edge of the area for Jakkaphan to send it sailing over the bar.
It really was poor play as he was completely unmarked but he leaned back as he hit the ball and there was only one thing that was going to happen. It is simply not good enough, at any level.
Diogo threatened once again down the left in the 71st minute but his placed shot was at an ideal height for the keeper who turned it aside. Buriram then brought on Sasalak for Chitipat in the74th minute.
Ten minutes from time Coelho rose to meet an excellent Narubadin cross from the right before powering in a header which the keeper somehow managed to keep out.
Buriram were then denied a stone-wall penalty two minutes later when Diogo was taken out from behind. There was no excuse for waving play on and when the exact same thing happened a minute later , the Brazilian stared in total disbelief. This was simply sheer incompetence by the official.
As the game entered stoppage time, it looked like Buriram were going to have to settle for a point. However, for a third time Diogo was felled from behind and thankfully this time the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
The unacceptable aspect of Thai football surfaced once again as the home side surrounded the official and it took a full four minutes for Diogo to be able to hold his nerve and dispatch the ball into the net to spark wild celebrations.
There is simply no excuse for this kind of behaviour and it is time the FA did something about it.(I’m not holding my breath!)
So a happy ending and it was no more than Buriram deserved, even though they were not at their best. Suphanburi are a tough proposition in their own back yard and getting a result was all that mattered.
See you at the Thunder Castle party on November 8 !