Buriram survived a second-half pounding to beat Chonburi 5-4 on penalties. After a fairly even first-half , though even then Chonburi could easily have been 3-0 up in the first eleven minutes, the home side laid siege to the visitors’ goal.
Buriram somehow survived until five minutes from the end when a deflection off the referee allowed Chonburi to break away and score the equalizer. Although it was deserved , the manner of the goal was harsh on the magnificent Buriram defence.
It looked like Coelho’s first-half header was going to be enough before the late drama took the game into extra time. The deadlock could not be broken, though Diogo was hauled down just outside the area in the dying seconds as he was clear on goal.
So it was penalties and all ten spot-kicks saw the keeper go the wrong way but Chonburi’s third kick came back off the post. Diogo, Seul-Ki, Jakkaphan, Siwarak and Coelho were all coolness personified to see Buriram through.
The home side made a bright start and Siwarak had to dive low to his left to turn the ball away in the 4th minute. Buriram had the ball in the net in the 8th minute when Diogo’s shot was blocked but Coelho was yards offside as he netted the rebound.
Two minutes later Chonburi attacked down the right and the ensuing shot was inches wide of the far post. A minute later they had an even better chance when a first-time shot from a right-wing cross flashed just wide. A VERY lucky let-off !
It was hectic stuff and immediately after Diogo found Coelho whose shot was almost turned into his own net by a Chonburi defender. Buriram took the lead in the 18th minute when Anon collected the ball on the left and his inch-perfect cross left Coelho with the simplest of headers.
Back came the home side and a quick right-wing attack saw the ball pulled back but the shot sailed over the bar. Siwarak was in action again in the 21st minute, diving low to his left to turn the ball round the post.
Suchao was shown a yellow card in the 33rd minute for an ill-judged, unnecessary tackle. Siwarak came to the rescue again in the 39th minute following a quick break down the right, again diving to his left to turn the shot round the post.
Two minutes later Supachok got clear on goal down the right but he elected to go for the near-post and the keeper got down to turn the ball away. The resulting corner saw Tunez have his goal-bound shot blocked by a desperate defender.
The final action of the half saw Seul-Ki thunder in a thirty-yard shot that flew agonizely wide.
So a thoroughly entertaining first forty-five minutes with Buriram rather fortunate to be in the lead.
Buriram brought on Korrakot for Suchao as Chonburi continued where they left off. The midfielder was shown a yellow card in the 58th minute and Jakkaphan came on for Anon. The home side were inches away from an equalizer in the 60th minute when Pansa attempted to clear a right-wing cross and the ball sliced off his boot onto the post.
Buriram were finding it hard to get out their own half as Chonburi forced a succession of corners. However, unlike the first-half, they weren’t really creating any clear chances.Diogo was shown a yellow card for a bad challenge in the 75th minute and Supachok had to leave the field five minutes later following a clash of heads, being replaced by Chitipat.
Just as it seemed Buriram were going to hold out the home side leveled in bizarre circumstances. Buriram were mounting a quick break out of defence and when the ball was played forward it struck the referee’s foot and rebounded straight to a Chonburi player.
The ball was quickly played right to Nurul who cut inside and beat Siwarak with a low shot to the far-post.
So it was extra-time and nothing much was happening before the Chonburi centre-back thundered a header from a corner against the crossbar in the 105th minute.
After that neither side came close to breaking the deadlock until three minutes from the end when Diogo was pushed over just outside the box. It was a red not a yellow as a clear goal-scoring chance had been denied, but the referee disagreed.
Then we had the shootout with the standard of all of the penalties being of the highest order. Lady luck was certainly on Buriram’s side and it is to be hoped when Buriram return here for the last game of the season, the league title is wrapped up !
How Chonburi are not challenging for honours is a mystery. They gave Buriram a torrid time with their pace and movement and were desperately unlucky not to win the game.
But that’s football, you don’t always get what you deserve.