Pattaya United hosted fellow mid-table strugglers BEC Tero Sasana in the Thai Premier League last weekend and the two teams put on an entertaining display in front of the 2,600 fans in attendance at the Nongprue Stadium.
The first half started slowly with both teams being intently cautious. Pattaya’s counter attacking game did lift the tempo in spurts and the Dolphins had all the better chances, though they were unable to put away the opportunities.
Just when it appeared as if both teams would go into the break with the stalemate maintained, United’s on-loan striker Soony Said capitalized on a mistake by the visiting goalkeeper to put the ball into the back of the net and give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead. The home team’s advantage would last precisely 60 seconds though as from the restart BEC equalized via a Lukasz header from a set-piece move.
Pattaya made one attacking substitution during the halftime interval, with forward Pumin coming on for midfielder Kittisak and the change was noticeable with the game’s tempo slowly increasing as the second half progressed.
BEC were also starting to show more signs of attacking intent but it was Pattaya that got the go-ahead goal following a superb run down the center by Pinto Junior, fending off his marker to fire a low bullet into the visitors’ net. Pinto Junior had a man-of-the-match performance and his ball control, passing, reading of the game and persistence were all exemplary.
United’s defence drew the fire out of the BEC forward line and it appeared that the home team was coasting to victory and a valuable three points. That was until Tanasak’s defensive header saw the ball fly backwards over the head of goalkeeper Tossaporn and into the back of his own net in the last minute of regular time.
There then followed three minutes of added time that saw more excitement than in the entire first half of the match, with both teams have opportunities to take full points. BEC’s Jaturong had the best chance but waited too long and had his shot smothered. At the other end Wichan, who had uncharacteristically wasted several earlier opportunities, shot straight at the BEC keeper after being given a clear path to goal by Pinto Junior.
After the match, United’s Soony Said commented that it was the little lapses that undid Pattaya but that the team will get better over the next few games.
United will certainly need to be firing on all cylinders this coming Saturday (20th August) as they travel to Bangkok to take on the current league leaders Muangthong United.
