Buriram hardly got out of second gear when recording an easy 4-0 victory over neighbours Nakhon Ratchasima.( Korat for convenience). Three first-half goals effectively ended the game as a contest as Buriram took their foot off the gas in the second period.
From the first whistle, Buriram were in complete control and attacked at will. They held their shape well with Suchao playing wide on the left and Ratthanakorn wide right. Seul-Ki again directed operations in midfield with another assured performance.
Up front, Diogo, Coelho and Supachok ran the visitors’ defence ragged and looked like they could score with every attack. The Buriram defence had a night off with Siwarak not having a single save of any note to make the whole game.
The big surprise was that it took Buriram 17 minutes to open the scoring with a well-worked goal. Ratthanakorn sent over a deep cross from the right which found Suchao just beyond the far-post. The skipper headed the ball back across goal for Coelho to smash home from close range.
It was two 3 minutes later with Supachok again providing a clinical finish. Coelho got to the by-line down the left before floating over a cross which Supachok, showing great technique, met first-time with a controlled volley.
It was a true striker’s finish and the youngster is playing with great confidence and looks full of goals.
Supachok then set up Suchao with a delightful pass but his control let him down and the chance was lost. However, Korat didn’t escape for long as the killer third goal arrived in the 39th minute.
Ratthanakorn crossed from the right to find Suchao who picked out Coelho in the box and the big Brazilian finished with aplomb from eight yards.
That was game,set and match and it was almost four when Coelho played Diogo in but he was brought down from behind as he raced through on goal. Coelho played the resulting free-kick short to Diogo whose low shot was well-saved by the keeper.
As the players left the field at the interval, something happened which I have never seen before in all the years I’ve been watching football. Diogo swapped shirts with a Korat player, bizarre !
The second-half continued much in the same way as the first with Buriram looking likely to add to their tally. Ottesen was inches wide following a corner and then had a firm header saved from another.
Korat almost gifted Buriram a fourth when a mis-placed backpass was rolling slowly towards the corner of the net but the keeper just got back to turn it round the post.
Buriram then replaced Jakkaphan with Narubadin in the 64th minute before Nakhon Ratchasima finally had their first attempt on goal a minute later which was wide. Chittipat picked up a slight knock and was replaced by Yossawat in the 72nd minute.
The game then unexpectedly exploded in the 76th minute when Diogo was felled by a very nasty tackle with the referee administering a straight red. The Brazilian got up and foolishly barged into the offender and was perhaps fortunate to be only shown a yellow card.
With nine minutes left the tireless Coelho was replaced by Supachai and he left the field to warm applause from the crowd. Diogo was receiving plenty of stick from the visiting fans but he had the last laugh in stoppage time.
He collected a lovely pass from Seul-Ki down the right before turning his marker inside out , only to be brought down in the area. From the spot, Diogo sold the keeper an audacious dummy to send him the wrong way and give the scoreline a more realistic look.
It’s unlikely that Buriram will have an easier game than this all season. Nakhon Ratchasima offered little, if any, resistance and on this showing are in for a hard season.
As for Buriram, you can only beat what’s put in front of you, which they did comprehensively. It would have been nice if they’d gone for the jugular and buried Korat under an avalanche of goals but perhaps that is being a little picky.
Next up is Thai Port in Bangkok on Saturday March 11, 7pm.