Bangkok Casuals League 2013
Pattaya City faced local rivals Planet FC last weekend and were looking for revenge following defeat in their previous encounter last month. Planet FC went into the match leading the league standings over the Londoner by one point, while City were lying in 6th place.
The game was even in doubt due to a downpour just prior to kick-off, but it was decided to wait 30 minutes for the pitch to recover. When the game eventually started it was Planet who applied the early pressure and they gained a number of free kicks but to no end result.
City finally got themselves into gear and the game was flowing end to end as both sides played some constructive football. It was City who struck the first blow however when Tshuma beat three Planet defenders and passed the ball to the unmarked Vorontsov, whose shot left the keeper stranded to give City the lead 1-0.
Before the City team could even draw a breath though they were bringing the ball out of their own net as Planet, straight from the kick off, charged downfield and Bjorn Ellingsen’s shot flew past the City keeper to make it 1-1.
Both sets of defenses tightened up after this but just before half time City’s Paul Fox made a good run down the right and found top scorer Vorontsov, who made it 2-1 to restore City’s lead.
The second half started with Planet attacking the City goal but good work by the defense kept chances at a premium. City could only counter attack but the Planet pressure began to tell and the City keeper Yorgui, despite making a great double save, could not stop Planet’s Kevin Gibbons from tapping the loose ball home to equalize and make it 2-2.
Planet now went for the winner as more attacks descended on the City goal. The defense held out manfully but eventually the pressure told when a good passing move by Planet down the left found Bjorn Ellingsen alone at the far post and he gave the keeper no chance to prod the ball home to give Planet the lead at 3-2.
It was then City’s turn to put the pressure on the Planet defense and Vorontsov from the left saw his shot go along the empty goal line only to be cleared by a thankful Planet defender. City tried to get the equalizer but with good covering by the Planet defense City ran out of time and Planet gained three valuable points in their quest to win the Championship for the second year running.
