Buriram survived a second-half pounding by Sisaket to come away with an undeserved 1-0 victory. After a first-half in which Buriram should have had the game sewn up,they inexplicably went on the defensive and were fortunate in the end to collect three points.
With Seul Ki suspended Buriram brought back Diogo and Macena but still no sign of the much-missed Tunez. Buriram made a bright start and when Supachok was brought down in the second minute, Suchao rolled the ball across the area to Theerathon but the shot was blocked.
Two minutes later Diogo got through down the left but opted to try and beat the keeper at his near-post and the shot was easily turned round for a corner which came to nothing.In the seventh minute Patipan received a yellow card for a reckless challenge, yet again in an area which presented no danger.
Diogo then had a great chance to open the scoring in the tenth minute when a lovely ball from Suchao saw him clear with only the keeper to beat. The ball sat up perfectly for him to lift the ball over the advancing keeper but his touch was far too heavy and the ball went over the top.
Diogo almost made amends nine minutes later when Jakkaphan laid the ball left to the Brazilian whose first touch moved the ball left which narrowed the angle. However, Diogo crashed in a fierce shot which struck the crossbar and rebounded to safety.
After twenty-four minutes Theerathon sent in a good cross from the left for Supachok to send high over the bar.Sisaket briefly threatened three minutes later when following a free-kick there was a bit of a scramble in the area but Siwarak comfortably gathered the ball on the line.
Buriram went straight down the other end and won a corner on the left. Suchao played it short for Diogo who sent over a deep cross which was headed down and into the net by Patipan at the far post..
Buriram went in search of a second and a great ball sent Diogo away down the left but the cross was dreadful. Macena then attacked down the right and pulled the ball back for Diogo in the thirty-seventh minute but his low shot was blocked by a covering defender.
A minute later Patipan almost turned hero to villain when another bad tackle should have seen him receive a second yellow but the referee let him escape with a warning. Shortly after Buriram took the wise precaution of replacing Patipan with Anawin.
Four minutes from the interval Diogo got free in the box only for a tackle from behind to bring him crashing to the ground. However, the referee waived play on, much to Diogo’s disbelief. It was either a foul or a dive but the official saw it as neither.
Right on half-time Buriram were denied a stonewall penalty when the ball struck a defender’s outstretched arm but again the referee was having none of it. Having your arms stuck out in the box is deemed to be the same as deliberately handling the ball.
So a half-time lead but a narrow one. Yet again Buriram’s failure to take their chances meant that Sisaket were still well in a game which should have been put beyond them.
It was a completely different Buriram in the second- half. Diogo moved over to the right and Buriram made their intentions clear by getting men behind the ball from the kick-off. Considering Buriram’s defensive frailties in recent games this was a very risky tactic. It was also an unnecessary one as Buriram had controlled the game in the first-half.
Sisaket needed no second invitation to pour forward with wave after wave of attacks. Little was seen of Buriram as an attacking force apart from the occasional break. However, the home side were not creating any real chances and Buriram were content to soak up the pressure.
Naruphol came on for Supachok after fifty-eight minutes and then Sisaket created their first real chance in the seventy-first minute. A quick break down the right saw the ball pulled back to allow a clear shooting opportunity twenty yards out which flew over the bar.
A minute later a Buriram break saw Diogo cut in from the right but his low shot was straight at the keeper. Macena was replaced by Sittichok ten minutes from time but apart from a couple of corners, Buriram were still on the back foot as Sisaket looked for the equalizer.
In the eighty-sixth minute Siwarak punched out a free-kick but didn’t get any distance. Fortunately, the resulting shot was wide. Then right on time Siwarak got down smartly to save a low shot and Buriram held out until the final whistle.
I suppose three points is what was required but the manner in which they were won is rather worrying. With Muang Thong thrashing joint league leaders Bangkok Glass 5-0 , Buriram will have to up their game considerably to keep pace with their bitter rivals.
Buriram travel to Bangkok Glass on Wednesday August 12 in the FA Cup, 19.00 before welcoming Suphanburi on Saturday August 15 in the league, 19.00.