Buriram put their Champions League disappointment behind them by demolishing TOT 4-0. They could even afford the luxury of missing two penalties as they completely dominated the game from start to finish.
Buriram made a bright start and the TOT keeper struggled to punch away a second minute Theerathon corner. Diogo then set up Macena five minutes later with a delightful pass with the outside of his right-foot but his countryman blazed over the bar from close range.
In the tenth minute Buriram were caught out by a through ball down the middle but the final shot flew way over the top. That was just about the end of TOT’s attacking for the rest of the night.
Buriram were in total control but were struggling to create clear-cut chances. In the twentieth minute a good move down the right saw the ball pulled back for Diogo who made space for himself before hitting a good shot on the turn from the edge of the box which the keeper saved at his near post.
A minute later Diogo nearly got a clear shot at goal but the ball fell to Seul-Ki on the edge of the area and the Korean blasted it over the bar. Buriram then had a great chance to take the lead from the penalty spot in the twenty-ninth minute.
Macena was just about to pull the trigger when he was felled from behind and the referee awarded the inevitable penalty. Seul-Ki stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way but the ball came back off the inside of the post.
The keeper then managed to block Macena’s follow-up attempt and the ball was cleared. Two minutes later Diogo appeared to be pushed over in the area but the referee waved play on.
Macena was causing plenty of problems and had a powerful shot saved by the keeper in the thirty-seventh minute. Two minutes later Macena had the ball in the net but was correctly adjudged offside.
Buriram were awarded another penalty in first-half stoppage time when Diogo latched onto a through ball in the left side of the area . He was then brought down by the advancing keeper who received a yellow card for his troubles.
Diogo picked himself up to send the keeper one way before rolling the ball into the opposite corner. So Buriram finally broke the deadlock but in reality the game should’ve been over by now.
The first action of the second-half saw Chitipat receive a yellow card for a rash challenge. Shortly after Seul-Ki was replaced by the skipper Suchao and Buriram duly came up with the second goal.
Suchao found Macena just outside the area. The Brazilian rolled a short pass to his left for Theerathon to lash the ball into the net with a fierce shot. A well-taken and constructed goal.
Buriram were in full-cry now and in the fifty-third minute Diogo laid the ball off for Macena to send a deft chip just wide of the far post. The roles were reversed shortly after when Macena pounced on a defensive mistake to set up Diogo but his shot was just wide.
Diogo was foiled by the TOT keeper in the fifty-seventh minute, when his low shot was blocked. He then dithered on the follow-up and the ball was cleared for a fruitless corner.
Chaowat came on for Theeraton in the sixty-seventh minute thenTOT finally did manage a shot on target in the sixty-ninth minute but the powerful effort was straight at Siwarak who turned the ball over the bar for a routine save.
From the resulting corner Siwarak made a comfortable save after the ball was struck into the ground by a TOT attacker.That seemed to stir Buriram back into action and the third goal arrived in the seventieth minute.
Diogo’s persitence won him the ball thirty yards out.He skipped past a defender before sending a great shot into the bottom corner. It really was an outstanding piece of finishing from the man in form,
Krutyai was then replaced by Suree and two minutes later Buriram were awarded ANOTHER penalty. Diogo crossed for Macena to collect the ball but yet again he was felled before he could shoot.
The Brazilian grabbed the ball and sent the keeper the wrong way only to hit the post and the ball rebounded to safety. I have to say I am not a fan of this short run-up and placing the ball from the spot. Hit it hard, if the keeper still saves it, good luck to him.
Buriram were creating chances at will and in the seventy-ninth minute Jakkraphan was played in and he advanced into the box but his shot was well-saved by the keeper. But Buriram were not to be denied.
After eighty-six minutes Suchao made a good interception and found Macena. The Brazilian advanced into the box before a cheeky step-over gave him the space to send a low left-foot shot into the far corner of the net.
Another outstanding goal and it wrapped up another entertaining performance from Buriram. Admittedly, TOT were not a good side but you can only beat what is put in front of you and Buriram did it in style, particularly in the second-half.
Due to internationals, Buriram are not in action again until June 20th.