Gian Chansrichawla
Football Tribe SEA Editor
Port FC began the weekend with a five-point lead to protect over defending champions Buriram United. The pressure has begun to pile on the frontrunners, as Buriram’s two games in hand meant that the Klongtoei outfit couldn’t afford to drop points when they traveled to face fifth-placed Nakhon Ratchasima.
More than 22,000 fans turned up at the 80th Birthday Stadium, setting a record attendance for the season thus far. The tight affair was suspended due to a heavy downpour shortly after the half-time break, with the two sides still level. It took until the 77th minute for Port to break the deadlock on the waterlogged pitch, as a free-kick from Pakorn Prempak found its way into Samuel Cunningham’s goal after a wicked deflection.
However, the side struggled to retain their lead and were reduced to 10 men when Adisorn Daengrung received a second yellow card for a cynical foul on Amadou Ouattara, a sign of mounting pressure from the home side.
Port had a golden chance to seal the deal with three minutes left on the clock, but Arthit Butjinda spurned his one-on-one chance against Cunningham. The forward would later rue his mistake, as the referee pointed to the spot when Naruphol Aromsawa was taken down, even though replays show that contact was made inches outside the box. Striker Bernard Henry made no mistake from the spot, leveling the score in stoppage time, in a result which would have major implications for Korat’s neighbors Buriram United, who were set to take to the field the next day.
Elsewhere on Saturday, second-placed Chiangrai United fell foul of a 3-1 mauling against newly promoted Trat, as forwards Fola Durosinmi and Lonsana Dombouya dismantled the visitor’s makeshift defense.
Bangkok United took to the field on Sunday looking to get their title aspirations back on track, hosting an in-form Samut Prakan City side. The pressure was on the Angels, who began the day in 7th place, and soon became apparent as they spurned a number of golden opportunities to take an early lead. The visitors scored against the run of play through Ibson Melo, and went into the half time break in front. However, goals from Nelson Bonilla and Tristan Do turned the game on its head, allowing the capital club to climb up to fourth place.
Saturday night’s results teed things up perfectly for Buriram, who hosted arch-rivals Muangthong United. Despite the Kirin sitting bottom of the league after an atrocious start to the season, this game remains one of the most iconic on the Thai League calendar, and an impressive 27,000 fans filled the terraces of the Chang Arena, surpassing the number recorded the previous day.
However, those fans were left to watch a tactical stalemate, as Muangthong’s back 5 aimed to shut down any attacking advances from the hosts as they attempted to steal a goal on the counter. A number of last-ditch defensive interventions kept the game scoreless until the 78th minute when Sasalak Haiprakhon’s strike from outside the box cannoned off the back of Sarach Yooyen and found its way into Dang Van Lam’s net, bringing the defending champions within touching distance of the league summit.