Buriram returned to league action after the internationals break when Army United were the visitors to Thunder Castle. Before the break Buriram were sweeping all before them. Could they continue their rich vein of form?
Army were the early leaders this season but they have fallen away as Buriram surged to the top of the table. This turned out to be the most one-sided drawn game you could possibly witness.
Siwarak was a mere spectator for nearly the whole game as Buriram lay siege to the Army goal. However, a combination of poor finishing and downright bad luck saw the visitors hold out for a 0-0 draw.
Buriram were missing the reliable Tunez who is with the Venezeulan national side in the Copa America in Chile. The surprise deputy was midfielder Seul Ki, a bit of a gamble by Alexandre Gama.
Buriram started brightly and after three minutes Macena got free down the right but his low cross failed to pick out a Buriram player. Two minutes later Diogo hit a long shot just wide.
Then Anawin set Macena away down the right again but his cross was scrambled away. After seventeen minutes a right-wing Theerathon free-kick was headed over by Diogo when well-placed.
Seul-Ki was playing well but was lucky to escape a yellow card in the twenty-fifth minute for a very rash challenge from behind. Three minutes later Buriram should have taken the lead.
Suchao seized onto a loose ball in the box and with time and space put the ball too close to the keeper who saved low to his left. It really was gilt-edged chance that should’ve been taken.
Army had hardly been out of their own half as Buriram poured forward. They were playing some good football and after thirty-four minutes Diogo played a neat one-two with Macena before being blatantly obstructed in the box but the referee waved play-on.
Two minutes later a beautiful cross-field ball from Anawin found Diogo in space. The Brazilian’s first touch was superb but he then inexplcably blazed the ball high over the bar.
Army finally mustered a shot on goal four minutes before half-time which Sivarak turned away for a corner, though the ball was missing the target. The corner was half- cleared and as the players were moving out, an Army player had his shirt pulled by a Buriram defender.A lucky escape.
A minute later, Buriram were unlucky not to break the deadlock when Macena sent a delightful chip, from the left side of the box, arrowing goalwards but it was cleared off the line.
Then Suchao was brought down thirty yards from goal in a central position.Theerathon struck his shot well but the ball flew just wide with the keeper beaten.There was still time for Macena to create more havoc in the Army defence.
A lovely pass from from Theerathon set him free down the left and he raced into the box.The angle was very tight and he had players up in support but he went for glory and the keeper saved easily at his near post.
So it remained goalless but Buriram had played some entertaining football and it seemed just a matter of time before the floodgates opened.Such was Buriram’s dominance.
Buriram went straight back on the offensive in the second-half and a good move down the right saw the ball cleared for a corner from the left. This was then half-cleared back to Theerathon who sent over a great cross which found Diogo in space but the striker completely missed his attempted header.
In the fifty-third minute Naruphol met a good cross into the box but sent his shot well wide.Two minutes later Diogo and Macena combined well before the latter sent over a perfect cross which found Naruphol but he sent his diving header way over the bar.
Army then won a free-kick on the right-wing but Siwarak came out to take the cross confidently whilst under severe pressure.
On the hour mark Sittichok came on to replace Naruphol and almost immediately Buriram came the closest yet to opening the scoring.A right-wing corner came into a very crowded penalty area and the ball was headed against the inside of the post and rebounded to safety.
A minute later lovely inter-play between Theerathon, Diogo and Macena resulted in a left-wing corner which was taken short. The ball was delivered low into the box only for Jakkraphan to fire wide.
Buriram made a second substitution in the sixty-sixth minute when Anawin was replaced by Narubodin, much to the delight of the female Buriram supporters.
A minute later Buriram hit the woodwork again when a superb long ball forward sent Narubadin racing clear down the right. He cut inside before unleashing a fierce shot which struck the post and was cleared.
Still Buriram pushed forward and Macena collected a loose ball on the edge of the area before sending a rocket shot just too high.Buriram then had another penalty appeal turned down in the seventy-second minute.
The ever-dangerous Macena appeared to be pushed in the back as he ran onto a through ball into the box.Once again the referee wasn’t interested and turned aside Macena’s appeals.
Three minutes later wonderful inter-passing resulted in the ball finding Diogo in space. He kept calm anf tried to place the ball in the far corner but was denied by a defender’s outstretched leg.
Shortly after Buriram won another corner on the left and Seul-Ki’s header was chested off the line by a defender. A minute later Jakkraphan received a deserved yellow card for a rash challenge.
In the eighty-first minute Diogo picked out Theerathon with a superb pass but the midfielder sent his shot well wide. Three minutes later Theerathon had an even better chance.
Macena got to the byline, looked up and found Theerathon free on the edge of the box. This time the shot flew way over the bar. Suchao was then replaced by Krutyai.
Four minutes from time Macena sent Theerathon away down the left but when the cross came in ,no-one was there to take advantage. Theerathon then received a yellow card to compound his disappointment.
Deep into stoppage time Buriram almost made the breakthrough.Good play down the left again saw the ball reach Macena in the box.His shot on the turn was goalbound but the keeper somehow got a hand to the ball.
The rebound was sent wide and then the unthinkable almost happened.In the dying seconds Army managed to stretch the Buriram defence. Seul-Ki, who had hardly put a foot wrong all night, missed his tackle.
The ball was moved left, leaving an Army attacker a free run on goal. He cut in from the left and Siwarak did well to narrow the angle. Fortunately, the ball went just wide of the far-post.
It would have been a gross injustice had Buriram lost. At the final whistle some Army defenders lay stretched out on the turf.They were exhausted, such was the intensity of Buriram’s attacks.
It was a good performance, marred only by poor finishing. Let’s hope Buriram rediscover their shooting boots soon.
Next three games, Wednesday June 24 Bangkok United (H) FA Cup 18.00, Saturday June 27 Ratchaburi (A) 18.00, Saturday July 4 Osotsapa (H) 18.00.