Buriram United’s dream of a second consecutive domestic treble remain well and truly alive after the Thunder Castles clinched the 2022/23 Thai League Cup title on Saturday night, beating BG Pathum United 2-0 at the Thunderdome Stadium in Nonthaburi.
Having clinched the 2022/23 Thai League 1 title in emphatic fashion, Buriram were overwhelming favorites in Saturday’s League Cup final against a BGPU side who had been inconsistent throughout their league campaign, with the Glass Rabbits having finished a disappointing 9th place in a season that saw both Makoto Teguramori and Matt Smith being sacked as head coaches.
With new head coach Thongchai Sukkoki overseeing only his second official match with BGPU, they were simply no match for a Buriram side who went all out in the encounter, as Masatada Ishii in the Buriram dugout unleashed his big guns in Theerathon Bunmathan, Goran Causic, Supachai Chaided and Suphanat Mueanta on the Thunderdome Stadium pitch.
It took the Thunder Castles only 13 minutes to break the deadlock, with Causic blasting home a thumping finish past BGPU goalie Kittipong Phuthawchueak following a Theerathon corner.
BGPU then proceeded to grow their presence into the game, with Patrik Gustavsson coming close, before Buriram almost extended their lead in the final 15 minutes of the first half through efforts from Theerathon and Supachai.
The Glass Rabbits then assumed control of the proceedings throughout the second half, only for the heroics of Siwarak Tedsungnoen in the Buriram goal to thwart both Teerasil Dangda and Surachat Sareepim as Buriram clung onto their slender lead.
The Thunder Castles’ insurance came in the third minute of injury time, as Supachai, who had squandered so many chances throughout the match, finally got the better of Kittipong and clinched Buriram’s seventh League Cup title.
For BGPU, defeat in Saturday’s final provided the saddest possible ending for captain Andres Tunez, with the former Buriram defender set to hung his boots at the end of the season. As for Buriram, their second domestic title of the season will motivate them further to seal the treble at the end of the season, with the Thunder Castles set to take on True Bangkok United in the 2022/23 Thai FA Cup final on May 28th at the Thammasat Stadium.