A second-half strike from Suphanat Mueanta was enough for Buriram United to secure victory in their all-ASEAN clash against Johor Darul Ta’zim in Tuesday’s 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite round of 16 second leg. The Thai giants edged out their Malaysian counterparts 1-0 on the night and on aggregate, sealing their place in the quarterfinals.
With the tie delicately poised at 0-0 following a first-leg stalemate at the Chang Arena, Johor Darul Ta’zim thought they had gained the upper hand just moments into the second leg at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. Bergson found the back of the net after beating Buriram goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, but his effort was ruled out by VAR for offside, denying the hosts an early breakthrough.
The match unfolded at a frenetic pace, with Buriram carving out the next opportunity on goal. Guilherme Bissoli tested JDT goalkeeper Andoni Zubiaurre with a low drive from outside the box, forcing the Spaniard into a smart save.
JDT nearly found the breakthrough in the 28th minute, only to be denied by the woodwork. A well-worked passing sequence inside Buriram’s penalty area created space for Afiq Fazail, whose shot struck the frame of the goal, leaving the home crowd in frustration.
Buriram had a golden chance to break the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Zubiaurre misjudged the flight of the ball. However, Suphanat failed to direct his header on target, ensuring the tie remained evenly poised at the break.
After 238 minutes of goalless action between the two sides in this season’s competition, the deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute. Eddy Israfilov’s attempted block inadvertently sent the ball into Suphanat’s path, and the Thai forward curled a sublime strike beyond Zubiaurre to give Buriram the lead.
JDT had an opportunity to equalize nine minutes later when Bergson expertly brought down a long ball before setting up Oscar Arribas. However, Etheridge stood firm to deny the full-back’s effort.
Desperate for a response, JDT introduced Heberty and Jese in a last-ditch effort to salvage the tie, but Buriram’s resolute defense withstood the pressure, securing their passage to the next round.