Two ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ clubs returned to action in the Asian Football Confederation club competitions this week and both of them registered crucial victories to take another step forward in the respective tournaments.
While Thailand’s Buriram United posted a 2-1 victory against Ulsan HD FC to send the former Asian champions crashing out of the AFC Champions League Elite, Singapore’s Lion City Sailors FC held on to record a 3-2 win over Muangthong United in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Two last-16 tie.
Join ASEAN United FC as we take a look at how things unfolded for the two clubs this week.
Buriram a draw away from last 16 berth
Suphanat Mueanta scored a 93rd-minute winner as Thai champions Buriram United edged Ulsan HD FC 2-1 in their penultimate league phase fixture to knock out the two-time Asian champions and move closer to place in the next stage of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite.
With the game heading for a draw, 22-year-old Suphanat arrived at the far post to turn in a cross from Dion Cools in the third of nine minutes added on at the end of the second half at Buriram Stadium on Wednesday.
Earlier, Jang Si-young had equalised for the Korean side just before the half-time break after Guilherme Bissoli had given the home side the lead in the 20th minute when he fired a shot from the edge of the box past Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-Woo.
The result left Ulsan with only one win and six defeats from seven matches while Osmar Loss’ Buriram are sixth, with 11 points.
They will face another K.League 1 opposition in already-qualified Gwangju FC in their final league phase fixture on Tuesday with a draw enough to guarantee their place in the knockout stages, having already booked a place in the semi-finals of the Shopee Cup.
10-man Sailors hold on to narrow victory
Lion City Sailors FC, playing with 10 men for most of the second half, held on to defeat hosts Muangthong United of Thailand 3-2 in the first leg of their AFC Champions League Two last-16 clash on Thursday.
Aleksandar Rankovic’s side raced to a 3-0 lead inside the first half hour with goals from Shawal Anuar, Maxime Lestienne and Bart Ramselaar but Song Ui-young’s red card seven minutes into the second half shifted the momentum in favour of the Thais, who were playing in front of their supporters.
Melvyn Lorenzen reduced the deficit in the 59th minute before Tristan Do netted deep into second-half stoppage time to give Muangthong hope heading into the return leg to be held at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday.
Photo: Buriram United, Lion City Sailors
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