Buriram made hard work of beating a well-organized Bangkok United at Thunder Castle. They were pale shadows of the side that ran Army ragged a few days ago and once again the finishing was disappointing.
Buriram should have taken the lead after 45 seconds when from the kick-off the ball was worked to the right before a superb cross-field pass found Theerathon in space.
He controlled the ball before moving forward and picking out Naruphol free in front of goal but the midfielder scuffed his shot wide. A bad miss and it set the tone for the night.
After five minutes Bangkok attacked down the right and Siwarak had to get down smartly to hold a low shot.A minute later Siwarak again dealt confidently with a low well-struck free-kick .
In the fourteenth minute Buriram were awarded a free-kick in the D but Theerathon sent his shot over the bar. Five minutes later Diogo got into the box but over-elaborated and the ball was cleared.
Buriram were looking far too casual and were lacking urgency.They were also giving the ball away far too often.
However, they did carve out a great opportunity after twenty-eight minutes. Narubadin and Macena combined well before Suchao picked out Theerathon with a superb pass.
The midfielder had a clear sight of goal but he sent the ball way over the bar.For someone who can strike dead balls so well, Theerathon’s shooting is disappointing to say the least.
Just after the half-hour mark Theerathon found Diogo in the box but the striker elected to pass instead of shooting. Straight after, Macena got to the byline down the left but the keeper held his low cross at full stretch.
A minute later Bangkok attacked down the left and Siwarak did well to hold the resulting low shot.After thirty-three minutes Macena latched onto a loose ball in the box and went down under the keeper’s challenge but the referee saw nothing wrong.
Buriram then produced a move of real quality with superb one-touch football, resulting in Naruphol’s low shot being held by the keeper. That move apart, there was often a gap between the strikers and the midfield who were not getting up in support quick enough.
Right on half-time Buriram had a free-kick just outside the area which Suchao sent over the bar.It had not been sparkling stuff and a goal was not looking too likely.
Diogo was not looking like the lethal striker he was before the international break and the midfield were displaying a distinct lack of technique in their finishing.
Straight after the restart Narubadin sent Diogo chasing a through ball and the keeper bravely got there first and was caught by the Brazilian’s boot.Macena then a had a shooting chance but the angle was too narrow.
Diogo showed his frustration in the fifty-fourth minute by earning himself a yellow card for a silly challenge on the half-way line. Jakkraphan then had a shot deflected for a corner before Buriram created another good chance.
Good work by Diogo saw him roll the ball sideways for Suchao who sent a dreadful shot high over the bar.Two minutes later Narubadin fed Macena down the left but his cross was headed wide by Suchao.
Buriram were pressing more now and a good move down the left saw the ball reach Macena in the box but the striker lost his footing and the chance was gone.The largely ineffective Naruphol was then replaced by Anawin.
Buriram had a great chance to break the deadlock in the sixty-seventh minute when a quick ball out of defence sent Macena racing clear with the Bangkok defence vainly appealing for offside.
The Brazilian tried to take the ball round the keeper but lost out to the impressive Bangkok stopper.A minute later both Macena and Diogo had a chance to shoot but both delayed too long.
Nine minutes from time Diogo collected a long ball and bore down on goal.The keeper came out and his clumsy challenge felled the striker outside the area. It looked a certain red card but the referee ruled no foul.
Two minutes later the referee appeared to atone for his apparent mistake when he awarded Buriram a very soft penalty.Diogo went down under a harmless challenge in the left of the area and to Bangkok’s horror, the referee pointed to the spot.
Diogo was entrusted with the kick and he elected to put the ball in the middle of the goal at a good height for the keeper who pushed the ball up in the air and it was cleared.
Buriram pushed forward again and in stoppage time a swift break out of defence saw the tireless Macena race away down the left before pulling the ball back for Anawin to fire hopelessly over the bar.
Then Macena got free again but his low cross went agonizingly across the face of the goal with no-one up in support.
So it was now extra-time and two very tired teams took the opportunity to have tired,aching legs massaged and to rehydrate.
Buriram almost got caught by a quick break when Bangkok attacked down the right and the ball was crossed across the face of the goal and rolled harmlessly out of play.
A minute later Theerathon fed Macena who crossed for Diogo to head just wide.Thunder Castle errupted in the ninety-sixth minute when Seul-Ki fired a loose ball into the corner of the net but the referee had already rightly blown for a foul by Diogo.
Five minutes later Buriram finally made the breakthrough. Anawin made a superb run into the right side of the box before sending over a perfect ,low cross which Diogo gleefully turned into the net from close range.
In the second period of extra-time Bangkok were pushing forward more but this meant there were gaps for Buriram to exploit.This they did in the one hundred and fifteenth minute.
The superp Seul-Ki intercepted a through ball and sent Theerathon away.He crossed beyond the retreating Bangkok defence and Macena collected the ball and rounded the keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net.
Macena deserved his goal for his tireless running all night.A minute later,it was three !
Narubadin intercepted a pass and put Theerathon away downt the left.He got to the byline but his attempted cross was blocked.However, the ball rebounded back to Theerathon who coolly made the angle better before placing the ball in the net.
There was just time for new signing Patipan to come on for Seul-Ki who received a deserved standing ovation.
I suppose all’s well that ends well but Buriram should have won this game in a canter. The finishing has to improve and with Tunez on his way back from Chile, Seul-Ki can move back into midfield where he has been sorely missed.
Let’s hope this game has not taken too much out of Buriram when they face a useful Ratchaburi side on Saturday.