Buriram made heavy weather of beating rock-bottom BBCU at a rain-lashed I-Mobile Stadium. The scoreline suggests it was a routine victory but the visitors had chances as once again a changed defence looked suspect at times.
Buriram were without Tunez who is believed to be suffering from an eye-infection but we did see the welcome return of Koravit . He started at centre-back and later moved to his customary lef-back position.
He had a steady game, particularly at full-back, though he is obviously lacking match-fitness. Korrakot became the latest candidate for the left-back position and Chitpanya was on the bench with the cup game in mind. Chaowat came into midfield, along with Jakkaphan.
Buriram had a good case for a penalty in the third minute when Narubadin was felled after he had burst into the right side of the area. However, the referee was not interested and waved play-on.
BBCU almost took a shock lead in the sixth minute when Chitipat failed to deal with a long through ball and Siwarak did well to come out and block the shot. Three minutes later Narubadin got to the byline and his deep cross found Moreira but his shot was blocked.
The big striker had a great chance to put Buriram ahead in the twenty-third minute when Chaowat’s excellent left-wing cross found him completely unmarked but he headed wide.
Narubadin received a yellow card in the thirty-first for a needless challenge before Buriram finally broke the deadlock in the thirty-fourth minute. Jakkaphan picked out Moreira with a lovely ball into the box and the unmarked Portuguese had the simplest of chances to place a header into the corner of the net.
Things got worse for the visitors four minutes later when Diogo was taken out near the right touchline and as the offender had already received a yellow, the referee had no alternative but to send him off.
BBCU should have levelled two minutes before half-time when another through-ball beat the Buriram defence but fortunately the shot was straight at Siwarak. Then in stoppage time Moreira got to the byline down the right before crossing for Kaio to rise and send a header against the underside of the bar.
It had not been a vintage display and without Chitpanya in midfield, Buriram were creating very little . The defence again looked vulnerable to through-balls and an improvement was required in the second-half.
The visitors almost got clear again in the forty-eighth minute but Koravit saved the day with a superb last-ditch tackle. Shortly after Sieghart was shown a yellow card for rash tackle in the BBCU penalty area.
After fifty-six minutes Buriram brought on Chitpanya for Jakkaphan and shortly after, Anon for Korrakot. This meant that Buriram reverted to three at the back, with Koravit moving to his normal position of left-back.
Buriram finally gave themselves some breathing space in the sixty-third minute when Kaio was brought down twenty-five yards from goal, just right of centre. Diogo stepped up to curl a deft shot over the wall and right into the corner of the net at the near-post. Perfect placement and execution.
Two minutes later Siwarak was forced to make another good save following a long ball down the right. Buriram then took off Moreira and brought on Baramee to shore up the defence.
BBCU almost got back into the game when Siwarak came out for a long ball down the left. He passed across-field to Chitipat who mis-controlled the ball and the BBCU striker sent the ball towards the empty net but Siwarak just got back to clear off the line with his leg.
The keeper was in action again when he made a superb fingertip save from a powerful twenty yard shot. Buriram finally made the game safe nine minutes from time when Diogo surged forward down the left before sending a low pass into the path of Kaio to finish emphatically.
Five minutes from time the visitors were reduced to nine men when Anon raced clear only to be felled as he was about to shoot and the referee issued a straight red. It was a little harsh as Anon still had plenty to do.
Koravit was then shown a yellow card as was Siwarak, for alleged time-wasting. In the first minute of stoppage time , Diogo won the ball wide left before reaching the byline and sending a perfectly weighted low pass into the area for the onrushing Anon to smash into the net.
So not a great performance by any means against a very poor side who still created chances. Despite his goal, Kaio is not looking like a top level player and Sieghart is also struggling to make an impact.
It was good to see Koravit back and on more than one occasion he showed what Buriram have been missing. Anon did well and deserves a run in the team as I believe he can develop into an outstanding player.
The next game is at Muang Thong in the FA Cup on Wednesday August 3, kick-off 7pm. A BIG improvement will be required if Buriram are to progress.