Thailand Japan

Theerathon Features as Yokohama Face Premier League Champions Man City

Thailand left-back Theerathon Bunmathan had a chance to play against some of the best players in the world when his club Yokohama F. Marinos faced off against Manchester City in a friendly match yesterday.

Yokohama are affiliated with Manchester City and their global network of teams, known as the City Football Group, who hold a 20% stake in the Japanese club.

Their friendly last night provided the chance for Yokohama’s players to test themselves against some of the best in the world. This included Thailand international left-back Theerathon Bunmathan, who joined the club on loan from Muangthong United this season.

Theerathon has shone in recent weeks for the club, who are fighting at the top of the J.League table. However, facing up against Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva on City’s left-flank is a completely different prospect to any of the opponents that he faces in the domestic league.

City took just 17 minutes to find the net, when Bernardo Silva brilliantly brought the ball down and slipped it through to Kevin De Bruyne, who made no mistake after shifting the ball onto his left foot and firing it at the near post.

However, Ange Postecoglu’s side didn’t allow their heads to drop, and they found their equalizer just five minutes later courtesy of Keita Endo.

But City showed their class once again, as a deft through ball from De Bruyne sent Sterling sprinting beyond Theerathon down the left flank, cooly finishing off his one-on-one against Park Iru-gyu to give the Premier League champions the lead again five minutes before half time.

Both sides made wholesale changes going into the second half, with the visitors, in particular, bringing on a host of younger players. The game was eventually wrapped up by 20-year-old German forward Lukas Nmecha, whose tap-in in second-half stoppage time put the result beyond doubt.

This summer’s friendly games have marked a good step of progress for Japanese clubs, as Kawasaki Frontale, Vissel Kobe and Yokohama F. Marinos rubbed shoulders against some of the best teams in the world in the form of Chelsea, Barcelona, and Manchester City respectively. The game was also a landmark in the development of Thai football, as Theerathon got the chance to represent his club side against the Premier League champions.

While they may only be small steps so far, it seems like these games against top European clubs is beginning to indicate the rise of Asian football.