A hat-trick from Serbian forward Milan Bubalo helped Pattaya United to a resounding 5-0 victory over Chiang Mai FC at a rain-soaked Nongprue Stadium in Pattaya on Wednesday, April 8 and saw the Dolphins climb up to eighth place in the Thai Football League Division 1 standings.
In the club’s final league fixture before the Songkran holiday, United took the lead in the 10th minute when midfielder Wattana Plainum connected with a cross from Chaiyawat Buran to head the ball powerfully past Siritongsopa in the Chiang Mai goal.
Pattaya United players congratulate Wattana Plainum (2nd left) after he opened the scoring against Chiang Mai FC in their Division 1 fixture at the Nongprue Stadium in Pattaya on April 8.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 27th minute as Bubalo scored his first of the match with a low left foot drive from an acute angle into the bottom corner of the visitors’ goal.
The score remained 2-0 until half-time but United wasted little time after the break to confirm their dominance as Korean defender Lee Won-young capitalized on a mistake by Siritongsopa to head the ball into an empty net and extend United’s lead.
The stage was then set for the impressive Bubalo to complete his hat-trick, which he duly did with a deft 76th minute lob over the advancing Siritongsopa to make it 4-0 and ten minutes later he rounded the Chiang Mai keeper before slotting the ball into an open goal.
The visitors’ miserable evening was compounded in the dying minutes of the match when they were awarded a penalty kick only for it to be brilliantly saved by United keeper Piyapatrakitti, thus maintaining the scoreline at 5-0 until the final whistle.
Pattaya United’s next match is on Saturday, April 18 when Chiang Rai United come to town for a Toyota League Cup fixture. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. The Dolphins will return to league action on April 22 with an away trip to Prachuap FC.
In the Thai Premier League, Chonburi FC signed off for their Songkran break with a 2-2 home draw against Nakhon Ratchasime FC on April 5. The Sharks are now 7 points off the pace in 11th place and will next face a trip to joint leaders Bangkok Glass on April 26.
