Brave United lose 5-goal thriller to league leaders

Four days after recording a well deserved 1-0 home victory over defending champions Buriram United, the ‘Dolphins’ of Pattaya United travelled to Bangkok on Sunday, August 12 to take on the league leaders and champions elect, Muang Thong United at a packed and noisyYamaha Stadium.

Buoyed by the victory in midweek, Pattaya caught their hosts off guard by immediately going on the offensive and their enterprising play brought its reward with an opening goal from Slovak defender Marián Juhás who headed in a right-wing cross from Anuwat Inyin in the fourth minute of the game to silence the home supporters.

Pattaya United’s Keisuke Ogawa, right, attacks the Muang Thong defence during their Thai Premier League fixture at the Yamaha Stadium in Bangkok, Sunday, August 12. (Photo/Pattaya United)

The game opened up into an entertaining encounter with chances at both ends and it took the unbeaten ‘Kirins’ just eleven minutes to get back on equal terms when Narit came off his line too far for a cross and was beaten to the ball by Paulo Rangel, who headed the ball over the Pattaya keeper and into the empty net.

There were further chances for both teams in an action filled first half but the scores remained level at the interval.

After the break, any thoughts the home team may have entertained of dominating their opponents were put firmly on the back-burner at Pattaya snatched the lead once more; this time with a rather fortuitous goal from Inyin.  The Pattaya midfielder latched onto a quick throw-in to strike the ball from the edge of the penalty area which then took a wicked deflection off ‘Kirins’ centre-half Panupong Wongsa and looped past his own keeper and into the net.

Pattaya were then subject to some misfortune of their own as they were temporarily reduced to 10 men when Dyachenko had to go off to receive treatment for an injury and the home team took advantage of their numerical superiority to equalize once more through a snap volley from their Macedonian midfielder Mario Djurovski.

With the clock ticking down to full time, Pattaya hearts were finally broken when Muang Thong’s Phichitphong Chieuchiu fired in a superb winner following a corner kick that gave Narit in the Pattaya goal no chance.  The ‘Dolphins’ attempted to rally once more but their last ditch efforts were fired wide of the Muang Thong goal.

It was a cruel result for Pattaya who had put up a strong performance and tested the league leaders to the limit.  The loss however sees the Dolphins still languishing at the wrong end of the table in 12th position, just three points above the relegation zone.  United’s next fixture is the ‘big one’ – a local derby against second placed Chonburi ‘Sharks’ this Saturday, August 18 at the Nongprue Stadium in Pattaya.  Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Thai Premier League Standings August 12