Any lingering hopes of Buriram reaching the knock-out stages of the Champions League were dispelled following a hugely disappointing performance in Japan. Buriram hardly mustered any attempt on goal of note and the defence gifted the home side the first two goals.
It emphesized the gulf in class as Sanfrecce squandered a host of gilt-edged chances in the first-half, cutting through the fragile Buriram defence at will. True, Buriram were without the suspended Tunez and Suchao but that is hardly an excuse for such an inept display. The loss of Diogo and Macena is proving too much as Buriram are still searching for their first goal in the competition.
They almost went behind in the sixth minute when following a neat one-two, Siwarak was unable to hold onto the low shot but the rebound was sent wide of the far post. Two minutes later the ball was only half-cleared by the Buriram defence but again, the ensuing shot was just wide.
Buriram did put together a good move in the fourteenth minute but the right-wing cross was blocked. Narubadin came to Buriram’s rescue in the twenty-second minute with a great last-ditch tackle following a through ball down the left channel. Four minutes later, sloppy defending gifted the home side another golden opportunity but once again they failed to hit the target.
Just after the half-hour mark a diving header from a right-wing cross saw Siwarak save superbly, diving low to his right. The keeper had be alert in the thirty-eighth minute, rushing out of his area to clear another through ball. However, it only delayed the inevitable as Sanfrecce finally went ahead four minutes from the interval.
A slide-rule pass between two ball-watching Buriram defenders was dispatched into the back of the net , though Siwarak could possibly have spread himself a little better. It was no more than the home side deserved and realistically, Buriram should have been dead and burried by then.
Buriram made a bright start to the second-half and Theerathon did well in the fiftieth minute but his teasing left-wing cross found no-one in the danger area. Four minutes later it was game over as Sanfrecce scored a carbon-copy of their first goal.
Once again the ball was played between two static defenders and Siwarak had no chance with the clinical finish to his left. Buriram then replaced Surat with Sittichok and finally hit the target shortly after when Theerathon got his free-kick through the wall but his firm shot was straight at the keeper.
Twenty minutes from the time, the largely ineffective Kaio just failed to convert a dangerous right-wing cross and four minutes later the very disappointing Adul was replaced by Nukoolkit. Shortly after Anawin replaced Anon, who was one of the few Buriram players to emerge with any credit.
Sanfrecce finally gave the scoreline a more realistic look in the eightieth minute with a superbly worked and taken goal. A good move down the right resulted in the cross being laid back to the edge of the area and the ball was side-footed into the top right-hand corner past the helpless Siwarak.
Four minutes later, Buriram finally won their first corner which tells its own story as they trooped dejectedly off the pich at the final whistle, their Champions League dreams in tatters. However, there are still three games left to try to restore some pride and give the Buriram faithful something to cheer about.