BG Pathum United managed to claim their first silverware of the 2022/23 season after they’ve survived a late Buriram United fightback to win 3-2 on Sunday’s 2022/23 Thailand Champions Cup at Nakhon Ratchasima Mazda’s 80th Anniversary Stadium.
The annual season opener of the Thai football season pits last season’s treble-winners Buriram United against last season’s league runners-up BGPU in an intriguing encounter at the 80th Anniversary Stadium. Both sides had altered their squads quite considerably in the buildup for the new season, with Buriram bringing in the likes of Frank Castaneda, Goran Causic, and Lonsana Doumbouya while BGPU drafted in the likes of Lidor Cohen, Jaroensak Wonggorn, Kanokpon Buspakorn, Cassio Scheid, and Jesse Curran.
The two sides had also lost key players through loan deals, with Buriram loaning out talismanic winger Supachok Sarachat to Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the J.League 1, while influential defender Victor Cardozo left BGPU for league rivals Leo Chiangrai United in a loan deal of his own.
Playing in front of their passionate supporters who made the 2-hour trip from Buriram to Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram were stunned in the 7th minute after Pathompol Charoenrattanapirom had given BGPU the lead in the 7th minute with a long-ranged shot.
Goalkeeper Kittipong Phuthaechuek managed to preserve BGPU’s slender leads after pulling off a number of saves to deny Buriram their equalizer, before his defenses were breached in the 36th minute. DR Congo striker Jonathan Bolingi managed to latch onto a Supachai Chaided cross with a powerful header to restore parity for Buriram.
The Thunder Castles didn’t have time to celebrate though as Singapore international Ikhsan Fandi reclaimed BGPU’s lead in the 38th minute.
Debutant Causic was sent off in the 50th minute after a poor foul on Jesse and with only ten men on the pitch, Buriram were left powerless as Worachit Kanitsribampen scored BGPU’s third of the evening only one minute afterwards.
With the Glass Rabbits seemingly cruising towards victory, Buriram managed to salvage a goal back in the 84th minute after Bolingi had completed his brace with a penalty. Bolingi’s late goal made things tense for BGPU but the Glass Rabbits defended their slender lead admirably to win their second Thailand Champions’ Cup in two years.