Buriram United FC coach Mark Jackson praised his side’s battling second-half performance as the defending champions secured a 1-0 first-leg win over hosts Selangor FC in the 2025/26 ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ final at MBPJ Stadium on Wednesday.
Suphanat Mueanta, included in the starting line-up in place of the suspended Guilherme Bissoli, scored the only goal of the first leg in the 25th minute with the teams due to face off again in Buriram next week.
“We are obviously pleased with the victory away from home,” said Jackson.
“With the schedule we have had recently, we always knew this was going to be a really tough game because Selangor are a good team, but also because of the physical demands we have gone through during this period of the season.
“I was really pleased with how the lads performed, particularly in the second half. They really dug in, gave everything, emptied the tank and I am so proud of how they finished the game.
“But like I said before, it is only one game. We still have another leg to go and we have to stay focused and ready for that.”
The Thai League 1 champions dominated the opening exchanges in front of an enthusiastic home support and went ahead when Suphanat headed in Theerathon Bunmathon’s centre.
But Selangor’s threat steadily increased, and in particular during a second half in which Hugo Boumous hit the post, as the humid conditions and a hectic calendar started to take their toll on Jackson’s players.
“The schedule has been really tough recently,” he said. “We played 120 minutes against Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (in the semi-finals), then had an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, plus all the travel and matches throughout the season.
“We fatigued a little bit in the second half, but the character the players showed was fantastic. The togetherness, the desire to defend when we needed to — I am so proud of the players from that point of view.”
The result has bolstered Jackson’s belief that Buriram United can go on to retain the title secured last year when they play the second leg in front of their own fans on Wednesday.
“Even before tonight, I have always had confidence in this team and this group of players,” he said.
“We always go onto the pitch believing we can win games because that is what this club is about and that is the reputation we have built. We take that responsibility very seriously.
“Of course, we expect to win every game, but we also know it is always difficult, especially in a final against a team like Selangor who showed great fight tonight.
“But we also showed that we can stand up to that challenge. We will recover better physically compared to this game and we will be ready and excited for the next leg.”
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