Chonburi 1 Bangkok Glass 1

Toyota League Cup Quarterfinal

Chonburi 1 Bangkok Glass 1 ( aggregate 1: 2)

Chonburi, although a goal down from the first leg of this League Cup quarter final clash, come into the game buoyed by their convincing 4:2 victory over Buriram last weekend in the TPL. Bangkok Glass, on the other hand, continue with their now traditional inconsistent league form, managing only one win in their last five; a sequence that has also seen them lose three times.

Bangkok Glass decided on a 4-4-2 formation whilst Chonburi went for 4-1-4-1, designed to punch holes in opposing static set ups.
Although lacking the white hot intensity of the weekend encounter with Buriram, Chonburi got straight into gear with a beautifully struck free kick after only two minutes by Anucha which was smartly saved and two minutes later Thiago spurned a very straightforward chance before picking up a yellow for a petulant and poorly executed dive inside the BG area. He should also have done better with a long range header on eight minutes beautifully set up by Doumeng. Even in the early stages, he was falling well below the excellent performance of the weekend.

Whilst Chonburi looked the more threatening team, especially down their left, the game was breaking up to Bangkok Glass’s advantage. Adul was carded on 7 minutes rather harshly for a standard tangle but, after 20 minutes, the away team must have felt quietly confident, despite their tendency to relinquish cheap possession through careless passing. The standard poor refereeing happened again on 33 minutes when Supachai’s tangle with Pipob was not carded even though it was the same as the early card happy offence. Then Samuel was caught offside in his own half; a rare skill indeed. The card came out again after 23 minutes for Peerapong on Pipob, even though the latter ran four steps after the challenge before hitting the deck.

Sinthaweechai had spent the first 30 minutes with very little to do, rather like his opposite number Kritsana. The game was crying out for a touch of class. It almost came on 33 minutes when a deep cross from the right was clawed away by Sinthaweechai off the head of Peerapong and Chonburi replied by steaming down the other end and stinging the hands of the BG stopper. Then, a stinging free kick from Siwapong just cleared the bar before, at the other end, Doumeng was denied at the last after a deep cross from the left. This was much more like it. The quality may have been erratic, but the tempo was building.

Only a minute into the second half BG extended their overall lead when a superb control and shot in one movement by Samuel left Sinthaweechai with no chance down to his right. Doumeng should have done much better on 49 minutes but, one on one with the goalkeeper he shot tamely. On 52 minutes Anawin was carded for some shoving in a defensive wall, but Chonburi were beginning to huff and puff and Peerapong nearly blew their house down on 53 minutes, but his shot flashed wide. On 55 minutes BG brought on Nirut for Siwapong whilst Chonburi took off Doumeng to be replaced by Nurul . The frustration was building for the home side, shown by some niggling fouls and furrowed brows. Pipob surprisingly fluffed a simple chance on 61 minutes, mistiming his shot. He was then substituted on 63 minutes for Apirat, suggesting The Sharks were keeping their powder dry for bigger challenges in seven days. The timing was off for the home side tonight, although a smart header on 68 minutes needed well saving. Suttinan was carded for a crude challenge on the edge of his box after 69 minutes. On 71 minutes BG brought on Saruta for Anawin and Chonburi took off Adul for Therdsak to test his hamstring ahead of the home game against Al Shorta of Iraq.
Supachai’s was carded on 78 minutes for a pointless and industrial challenge just after Noppanon had made a superb last ditch tackle to deny Samuel. BG brought on the poster boy Leesaw after 80 minutes for Chatree. In the last 10 minutes BG started to defend rather too deeply. Supachai survived a head injury that required a trip on the stretcher but would barely have registered with a squirrel. Drama followed on 85 minutes when a soft looking penalty was awarded to the Sharks which Therdsak dispatched with customary ease and grace. He was then carded for an out of character kick at the BG goalkeeper as he was clearing the ball.

So BG go through. Chonburi will be frustrated as they had chances, but these Sharks have bigger fish to fry.
Matt Riley