Buriram: Buriram United progressed to the semi-finals of the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ after a 1-0 win over Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur City FC at Buriram Stadium on Thursday secured the runners-up spot in Group B.
Buriram opened the scoring eight minutes before the interval through their top scorer Lucas Crispim with what proved to be the only goal of the game as the hosts missed a number of second-half chances but held out for a deserved win.
The victory has lined up an all-Thailand semi-final clash against domestic rivals BG Pathum United in April, while KL City exit the tournament after finishing third in the standings.
Without their suspended captain Paulo Josue and knowing only a win would secure progression, KL City came close five minutes in when the ball broke to Giancarlo Gallifuoco inside the box and he stabbed it goalwards but Chatchai Bootprom was down quickly to make a low save.
The hosts came close in the 27th minute although not through one of their own players. Theerathon Bunmathan threaded a lovely ball to Sasalak Haiprakhan and his cross from the left side of the penalty area was miscued just inches wide of the right post by the outstretched leg of Kenny Pallraj.
Buriram were starting to exert their dominance on the game and Guilherme Bissoli headed over from Crispim’s corner shortly after the half hour when he perhaps should have done better.
And the deadlock was broken in the 37th minute following a good interchange on the left between Supachai Chaided and Theerethon, whose low cross deflected kindly into the path of Crispim who confidently side-footed home his fifth goal of the campaign from 12 yards out.
Theerathon was stretchered off on the stroke of half-time after a coming together with Gallifuoco in a blow for the home side before the visitors had a chance to level early in the second half.
Ryan Lambert’s defence-splitting pass picked out the run of his brother Declan and his first-time cross from the left was just marginally too far in front of the unmarked Patrick Reichelt whose outstretched leg got a touch but was unable to divert goalwards.
Bissoli had a chance to double Buriram’s lead shortly after the hour when his powerful left-foot strike from a tight angle flew wide of the right post after he latched on to a lovely flicked pass from Supahcai.
Another chance came the home side’s way with 20 minutes to play but a pair of outstanding saves from point-blank range by Hafizul Hakim first denied Narubadin Weerawatnodom and then substitute Ratthanakorn as the game remained on a knife edge.
But Buriram remained in the control and comfortably saw the game out – a Jovan Motika free-kick from 35 yards out in stoppage time that flew well over the only sight on goal the Malaysians had in the final stages as Buriram safely advanced.
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