Muang Thong hit Buriram with a breakaway goal five minutes from time after the home side had dominated much of the game. It was hard on Buriram who had played with determination, skill and pace but their frailty at the back was exposed twice to deny them a deserved victory.
Muang Thong have now gone eighteen games without registering a victory against their fierce rivals but they had a great chance last night after taking the lead against the run of play. However, once again they chose to sit back and defend instead of looking to extend their lead.
This allowed Buriram to get into their stride and they lay siege to the visitors’ goal , playing with a purpose that has been lacking for some time. They got their reward by taking the lead late in the second-half but hesitancy in the defence cost them dear at the death.
Buriram welcomed back Macena up front and Jakkraphan was recalled with Suree continuing at centre-back and Patipan came in at right-back. Buriram went on the attack immediately and almost took the lead in the third minute when Diogo made progress down the right ,following a long ball out of defence.
He sent over a dangerous,low cross which was turned over his own crossbar by a Muang Thong defender. Theerathon sent over the customary inswinging corner which was well claimed by the under-pressure keeper. Buriram were exerting a lot of pressure without creating a clear-cut chance.
However in the thirteenth minute a diagonal ball from the left was brought down brilliantly by Diogo just outside the area. The Brazilian took another touch before hammering a fierce shot just over the bar. Perhaps a calmer approach would have been better as Diogo was free to advance on goal.
Two minutes later Buriram were hit by the sucker punch when following a throw on the right, Teerasil crossed for Mario to get between two static defenders and plant a firm header past the helpless Siwarak. Buriram have been guilty of not picking up players from crosses several times in recent matches.
Buriram had to regroup and to their credit they did not let their heads drop.They came desperately close to an equalizer in the twentieth minute when Suchao pulled the ball back from the right for Jakkraphan to fire a shot against the post from outside the area.
They had another chance seconds later when Diogo dribbled the ball into the box and from almost at the post he tried to roll the ball to Macena but the pass was intercepted. A minute later after another right wing attack ,the ball flashed across the face of the goal with no-one able to get the vital touch.
Jakkraphan had to leave the field for treatment on a cut head but returned shortly after sporting a white bandage.He was soon in action in the twenty-seventh minute when Macena sent him away down the right and Jakkraphan sent over a great cross for Diogo to head down towards the corner of the net,only for the keeper to make a great save diving to his left.
After thirty-two minutes Diogo was fouled and reacted, causing the Muang Thong player to roll around in agony. The referee rightly issued a yellow card to both players. Four minutes later Jakkraphan joined them in the referee’s book for a needless bad challenge.
Diogo was in trouble again shortly after when he challenged the keeper for a ball he had no chance of getting and the keeper made the most of it with Muang Thong players surrounding Diogo,demanding he be sent off. It wasn’t a bad challenge but Diogo should have used his head and pulled out. Fortunately, the referee wasn’t conned and took no action.
A minute before the interval Theerathon found Macena in the left of the box and the Brazilian tried to curl a shot into the far corner but was just wide. Suree then received a yellow card for a needless rash challenge wide left. Then things nearly got much worse for Buriram.
In first-half stoppage time Cleiton was put through with only Siwarak to beat but sent his shot wide.An entertaining half with Buriram very unlucky to be behind.There was much,much more to come.
After a fairly sedate opening to the second-half Muang Thong almost increased their lead in the fifty-second minute. Following a quick break out of defence Cleiton tried a chip from outside the box which Siwarak did well to turn over.Buriram then took off Anawin for Narubadin.
Buriram were awarded a free-kick in the fifty-fifth minute outside the right corner of the box. Theerathon pulled the ball back for Macena to get in a low shot which was blocked and the rebound was straight at the keeper. Just when it seemed Buriram were fated not to score,the equalizer came on the hour.
Suchao slid a ball through for Narubadin in the right side of the box and he put a low ball across the face of the goal which was turned into his own net by Thitiphan who was under intense pressure from Diogo. Game on !!
Buriram were really fired up now with the sell-out crowd right behind them. Diogo sent over a low cross from the left which was blocked with Macena lurking. Another great Buriram move in the sixty-fifth minute saw Theerathon send over a superb cross from the left but it was slightly behind Macena who just couldn’t direct his header on target.
Buriram were pressing hard and their drive and pace had the visitors rocking.Then as time was ebbing away, Buriram made the breakthrough. Another quick break down the left ended with Theerathon’s cross finding Diogo eight yards out and the striker smashed the ball into the net to send the crowd wild.
It was no more than Buriram deserved and they went in search of the killer third goal,though now Muang Thong had to abandon their defensive tactics. It almost came in the eighty-third minute when Macena crossed long from the right and Diogo collected the ball and slipped it through to Seul Ki in the left of the box.
A cool head was required but the Korean blasted the ball into the side-netting from an impossible angle instead of hammering it low across the face of the goal. Seul Ki then vented his frustrations with a bit of shirt-pulling which received the mandatory yellow card.
A minute later Buriram were caught out pushing forward and Muang Thong broke quickly down the right and when the cross came in Cleiton got between two defenders to turn the ball home from close range. A cruel blow but once again it was poor defending.
Sittichok came on for Jakkraphan for the last few minutes but Buriram were unable to break down the visitors’ defence for a third time. The result was not a disaster but it was certainly a game Buriram deserved to and should have won.
Muang Thong had no answer to the speed of Buriram’s play and why we don’t see more of this instead of walking-pace football is beyond me. Macena’s return made a huge difference and shows how vital he is to the team.
Suree played well but there is little doubt in my mind that had Tunez been playing both goals would have been averted. Buriram have conceded five goals in their last two home league games, all down to defensive errors. Let’s hope he returns soon.
Next games : Wednesday August 5th Lamphun Warriors (A) 19.00 League Cup first leg, Sunday August 9th Sisaket (A) 19.00, League and Saturday August 15th Suphanburi (H) 19.00 League and hopefully a warm welcome back for Senor Carmelo,though not too warm !