Buriram United FC will take a 1-0 lead into the second leg of the Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup final against Selangor FC next week after Suphanat Mueanta’s 25th-minute header earned the defending champions a narrow win at MBPJ Stadium on Wednesday night (May 20).
The Thailand international steered home Theerathon Bunmathan’s centre to give Mark Jackson’s side a slender advantage before the teams face off again at Buriram Stadium next Wednesday.
“Very pleased with the result, 1-0,” said Theerathon. “It was tough conditions with the humidity.
“First half, we created more chances and Selangor created the chances in the second half. In the second leg, we need to be better. At home in front of our fans, we will focus on winning the game and get the trophy.”
Suphanat had been given a spot in the Buriram United starting line-up with the tournament’s joint-top scorer Guilherme Bissoli suspended after his sending off last week while Robert Žulj replaced Goran Čaušić.
It was Suphanat who almost unlocked the Selangor defence in the sixth minute, the winger sliding his shot across the face of goal, while the Thailand international was at the heart of a flowing move in the 10th minute that saw Kingsley Schindler fire wide.
After his earlier near-miss, Suphanat made no mistake in the 25th minute. The 23-year-old reacted quickest to meet Theerathon’s clipped pass towards the near post and coolly steered his downward header beyond Sikh Izhan Nazrel.
Six minutes later, Selangor thought they had equalised after a foul on Chrigor Moraes presented the home side with a free kick on the edge of the penalty area.
Alvin Fortes stepped up to send a dipping left-foot strike towards goal that a flying Neil Etheridge palmed into the air before Mohammad Abualnadi prodded over the line. The Jordanian, however, was judged to be in an offside position.
Chrigor powered down the left flank with six minutes remaining in the half to drive in a low cross towards Fortes but the former Cape Verde international shot over the bar under suffocating pressure from the rapidly retreating Buriram United defence.
The Thai side were given a let off with a little over two minutes until the interval when Chrigor directed Faisal Halim’s perfectly flighted free kick from the left inches wide of Etheridge’s left post.
Sikh Izhan denied Suphanat a second in the dying seconds of the half, spreading himself to keep out a low shot after the winger had been played in behind the defence by Supachai Chaided.
Supachai was inches from doubling the lead soon after the interval when he failed to connect with Suphanat’s in-swinging centre while Hugo Boumous thought he had equalised in the 67th minute, only for his effort to come back off the post with Etheridge beaten.
Theerathon thumped a rising effort inches high and wide of the top corner while a last-ditch tackle by Harith Haiqal prevented substitute Phitiwat Sookjitthammakul from increasing Buriram United’s lead to leave the tie evenly poised.
“It was disappointing,” said Selangor captain Faisal. “Playing at home, we didn’t make the most of the chances. We controlled the game, we attacked, we created chances, but we failed to put the ball in the net. That was the most important thing tonight.”
Shopee Star of the Match - Hugo Boumous (#9), Selangor FC
