Gian Chansrichawla
Football Tribe SEA Editor
Against all odds, Chiangrai United were crowned champions of the 2019 Thai League, after Buriram United failed to beat Chiangmai FC in what was expected to be a victory parade for the defending champions.
Chiangrai saw the title slip out of their hands when they succumb to a 2-2 draw against PTT Rayong on Matchday 28, while Buriram put themselves in the driver’s seat with a 3-2 win over Nakhon Ratchasima. The Beetles were powerless as the defending champions then went on to record a controversial 3-1 victory over third-placed Port FC, knocking them out of the title race.
Despite the comfortable and stylish 4-1 demolition of Prachuap, most counted Chiangrai out as the Thunder Castle faced already relegated Chiangmai FC on the final day of the season. Elsewhere, the Beetles had to travel to a Suphanburi side who likely needed a win to remain in the division.
It took just 13 minutes for Buriram’s win to look even more inevitable, as Suphanburi’s Tanasith Sriphala managed to slip through a gap in Chiangrai’s midfield, slipping a through ball to their former striker Cleiton Silva, who made no mistake tucking the one-on-one chance home.
Both Chiangrai and Buriram then spent the rest of the opening half-hour frantically pressuring their hosts in search of a goal. Supachok almost capitalized on a failure of the Chiangmai midfield in bringing the ball out from the back in order to fashion an opportunity in the 23rd minute which went just wide. Meanwhile, Brazilian duo William Henrique and Bill Rosimar missed chances to hit an equalizer for Chiangrai in the 25th and 28th minutes respectively.
The title-chasers finally levelled the scoring two minutes before half time, with Siwakorn Tiatrakul scoring from range after Piyapong Pichitchotirat’s free-kick was repelled by the Suphanburi defense. His first-time effort remained close to the ground and evaded everyone as it whizzed into the back corner of the net.
They then pushed themselves on top with a goal three minutes after the restart, as William Henrique got on the end of Ekanit Panya’s disguised pass and fired his effort beyond Patrick Deyto and into the top corner.
However, their jubilation was cut short just five minutes later. Unbeknownst to Chiangrai, Buriram thought they had gotten their title procession underway in the 52nd minute when Narubadin Weerawatnodom managed to keep hold of the ball at the edge of the box before squaring it to Nacer Barazite, whose first time side-foot finally worked its way into the hosts’ net.
That goal, however, didn’t change what the Beetles had to do in order to make the title theirs. Refusing to take their foot off the gas, Ekanit got his own name on the scoresheet with a quick shot which got the better of Deyto at the near post in the 60th minute.
Tanasith Sriphala brought Suphanburi back within striking distance after breaking past the defense and rolling the ball under Apirak Worawong in the 67th minute but were reduced to ten men when Natthaphong Samana picked up a second yellow card for a rash challenge on William Henrique. A similarly misjudged tackle from Suban Ngaprasert gifted Chiangrai the chance to make it 4-2 from the penalty spot, which Bill Rosimar dutifully tucked away.
The big twist finally came in the 86th minute, when struggling striker Caique Lemes, on loan from Chiangrai themselves, got in front of his marker and, capitalizing on Siwarak’s poor attempt to come forward and punch the ball clear, headed the ball into a virtually empty net.
Amid the frenzied celebrations accompanying the realization that Chiangmai may just have prevented Buriram’s title three-peat and gifted the first-ever title to their northern neighbors, Caique received a second yellow for removing his shirt during the celebrations.
The hosts, however, didn’t have much time to rue their loss, as they were forced back on the defensive to try and hold off a string of attacks from the enraged defending champions.
The news was yet to filter in when Phitiwat added a fifth goal in the 90th minute and the Chiangrai players were forced to wait anxiously at the final whistle, waiting for the game at the 700th Anniversary Stadium to also come to a close.
Supachok missed a chance to seal the win by a hair in the 89th minute, and a string of saves and last-ditch tackles in the 94th was enough to keep the score level and snatch the title away from Buriram United.
A feeling of genuine disbelief had still not abated as the stage was set up and trophy pulled out for Chiangrai. Their yells of adulation called an end to a season that was nothing if not unpredictable, and incomplete without the complete shattering of all expectations that had been a constant from day one. Their triumph closed the curtain on a campaign that will go down as one of the most remarkable in the history of the Thai League.