Buriram reached the League Cup Semi-Finals with victory over high-flying Bangkok United in a penalty-shoot after coming from behind three times. This was a deserved win as in reality, Buriram had enough chances to win two games.
They played with pace and aggression, never letting in-form Bangkok United settle and had half-time substitute Kaio not spurned three glorious chances they would have won at a canter.
As it was, they had do dig deep to force the shoot-out and Siwarak became the hero, saving two of the home side’s six penalties for a 5-4 scoreline.
Despite conceding three goals, the defence looked more solid with Koravit back to his imperious best. Anawin was a constant threat down the right and Diogo was everywhere, running the home defence ragged.
Buriram almost took the lead in the fifth minute when the keeper just got to a through-ball before Diogo and two minutes later a defender just managed to get a foot to a dangerous low cross. From the resulting right-wing Jakkaphan corner, Tunez sent his header wide when he really should have hit the target.
Buriram had a good shout for a penalty turned down in the tenth minute when Diogo controlled a right-wing cross, only to be taken out by the keeper. It looked a clear penalty but the referee saw nothing amiss.
Siwarak came to Buriram’s rescue with a flying save from a header in the twenty-third minute before Anon just failed to lift the ball over the home keeper in the thirty-second minute , following a right-wing cross.
Bangkok United took the lead against the run of play in the thirty-seventh minute. Tunez gave away a free-kick twenty-three yards out and when the low shot got through the wall, Siwarak was unable to hold onto it and Macena lashed the ball into the net from two yards.
It was harsh on Buriram who had produced their best performance for some time and it was going to be interesting to see how they would react to this set-back.
Buriram brought on Kaio for Sieghart at the interval and the Brazilian had a great chance to bring them level in the forty-seventh minute. Anawin sent over a perfect cross from the right but the totally unmarked Kaio sent his shot high over the bar.
Two minutes later Diogo sent Anawin through to the right byline and his low pull-back was met by Jakkaphan but his shot was straight at the keeper.
Kaio had the chance to redeem himself in the fiftieth minute when another right-wing cross found him totally free again but this time he sent his shot wide.
Buriram did level in the fifty-fourth minute when a corner was half-cleared to Jakkaphan wide right and he sent over a lovely cross for the unmarked Tunez to send a measured volley into the net from twelve yards. An excellent finish.
The visitors almost went ahead a minute later when Diogo just failed to connect properly with an Anawin right-wing cross but the ball looped into the air for Kaio to make a complete hash of his header from four yards.
Diogo was shown a yellow card on the hour but the reason remains a mystery. The home side regained the lead nine minutes later when Tunez made a mess of a tackle in the area and the penalty decision was a formality. Teeratep gave Siwarak no chance from the spot.
Buriram brought on Supachok for Anawin in the seventieth minute and eight minutes later, Kaio had another chance to level but headed way over the top from six yards.
Buriram then brought on Sakeereen for Koravit who had been excellent but may have been feeling the pace a little.
Still Buriram pushed forward and were rewarded in the eightieth minute when Diogo went down under a challenge in the area and the referee pointed to the spot. The reaction of Mario was nothing short of disgraceful as he was shouting into the official’s face but incredibly, no action was taken.
When order was finally restored Diogo easily beat the keeper with a low shot to his left.
So, we moved into extra-time and Kaio was sent clear down the left in the ninety-second minute but sent a wild shot high and wide.
Sakeereen received a yellow card after one hundred and two minutes and shortly after, Diogo’s downward header was well-saved by the keeper. Bangkok United then went ahead for the third time, five minutes into the second period of extra-time.
Jaycee got free down the right and turned Sakeereen inside out before sending an excellent shot across Siwarak and into the far corner of the net.
It looked all over for Buriram but back they came again to take the tie to penalties two minutes from the end of extra-time. Following a spell of Buriram pressure, the ball was pulled back from the left for Supachok to beat the keeper with a powerful, low shot at his near post.
So it was down to penalties. BKK scored first and Kaio levelled. The home side scored again before Tunez had his weak effort saved. It was then 3-1 before Diogo made it 3-2. Siwarak saved the fourth penalty and Dos Santos levelled the scores. It was then 4-3 to the home side before Siwarak calmly stepped up to level. He went back between the posts to save the sixth penalty, leaving Jakkaphan to wrap up victory with a 5-4 scoreline.
Nailbiting, yes . But it was thoroughly deserved though as previously mentioned, Buriram had more than enough chances to wrap the game up in normal time.
Buriram entertain Osotspa in the league on Saturday August 13, 7pm.