Gian Chansrichawla
Football Tribe Thailand
Buriram United continue their hunt for a hattrick of Thai League titles, and are kicking into gear at the right time to sprint down the home stretch, while their rivals hope to remain within touching distance and capitalize on any slip-ups.
The defending champions begin this weekend’s proceedings with a home match against Sukhothai FC. The Thunder Castle made a statement to the rest of the division, returning to their home turf with a 6-0 demolition of Ratchaburi which let their rivals know that the run-in will not be easy for sides looking to take away their title. Their opponents tonight will be resolute in their search for points, as they have been in recent weeks while stringing together a four-game unbeaten run. However, the re-energized hosts will be a hard side to bet against in this fixture.
The game of the weekend sees Bangkok United host Port FC, with both teams’ title ambitions hanging on by a thread. The Angels were left deflated by an appalling performance against Prachuap, while Port managed an impressive victory on the road against a defensively astute Suphanburi side.
History in this fixture undoubtedly sides with the hosts, as Port haven’t prevailed in this fixture since 2010. Earlier this season, Bangkok United managed to pick up a point from the PAT Stadium, starting a slowdown which would eventually knock them off first place. However, on current form, the Angels continue to struggle through their matches while Port have undergone a resurgence under the coaching of former Thailand U23 boss Choktawee Promrut. With both sides on unpredictable form and desperately looking for points, this game will be a tough one to call.
Sunday sees another remaining title challenger, second place Chiangrai United, travel to Chonburi. The Sharks have been in imperious home form recently, and have remained unbeaten since the appointment of coach Sasom Pobprasert. Meanwhile, the Beetles are still reeling from successive cup eliminations as their form continues to slow down in the league. However, their confidence may be back on the uptick after five of their players were selected for the Thailand national team, making them the second most represented club in the squad.
At the other end of the table, Chainat and Suphanburi will look to claw themselves out of the relegation zone with their away matches against Ratchaburi and Muangthong respectively. Meanwhile, Prachuap will be looking to maintain their run of form when they host Samut Prakan City.
The remaining two games see Chiangmai FC take on Nakhon Ratchasima while Trat host Rayong.