Buriram United FC midfielder Kenny Dougall is hoping to avoid the drama of last year’s Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup final as the defending champions look to complete back-to-back title wins in their second-leg match-up with Selangor FC on Wednesday.
The teams face off again at Buriram Stadium next week with Mark Jackson’s side holding a 1-0 lead following the first leg at MBPJ Stadium, when Suphanat Mueanta’s 25th-minute header earned the Thai club a narrow victory.
“It was a tough game in the end, but our away games for the season are finished,” said Dougall. “If you compare it to last season, we’re in a better position in terms of the second leg of the final. That’s positive. We know at home we’re very strong, so result-wise we’re very happy.”
Buriram United claimed the inaugural Shopee Cup crown in dramatic circumstances 12 months ago with a 3-2 win on penalties over Cong An Hanoi after sharing a thrilling 5-5 draw across the two legs of a pulsating final.
The teams had drawn the opening leg 2-2 in Hanoi, and Buriram United needed a stunning last-gasp Lucas Crispim free kick to take the match into extra-time, where both sides scored again before goalkeeper Chatchai Bootprom emerged as the hero in the shoot-out.
“That makes football special, games like that,” said Dougall. “When you come out on top in one of those, it’s always special. But we’re looking forward to no drama, a straightforward victory at home to seal back-to-back titles. That’s what we want.”
The 33-year-old is relishing playing the second leg in familiar surroundings as well as the prospect of a week to prepare for the return encounter with Buriram United, able to experience a rare weekend off due to their elimination from the Thai League Cup.
“We’ve come away with a 1-0 victory, so we’re happy with that, and we go home to conditions that we’re more used to, the pitch and the grass that we’re more used to,” he said. “The grass in Selangor and on some of the pitches in Malaysia can make it quite tough.
“We defended the box quite well. Obviously, they’re a good team, and they created a few problems for us. We’ve got to find a way to solve them and have another win next week.
“We’re a team that goes deep in a lot of competitions, and that makes the schedule quite busy, so to get a week between games is quite nice. That’s rare for us. We can fully prepare for the second leg.”
