The match started at a frantic pace, with both sides creating early chances. However, it was Buriram who drew first blood in the 12th minute, courtesy of a Sasalak Haiprakhon free-kick. Muangthong responded well, equalizing just before half-time through a Sorawit Panthong free-kick that took a wicked deflection off Guilherme Bissoli.
The second half saw Buriram assert their control, with their superior possession and passing accuracy stifling Muangthong’s attacking ambitions.
The visitors regained the lead in the 54th minute when another Sasalak free-kick caused havoc in the Muangthong box, eventually leading to an own goal by Hong Cheong-eun.
Muangthong rallied bravely, but Buriram’s defence held firm, and Rattanakorn Maihami put the game to bed with a superb free-kick in stoppage time.
Data Deep Dive
A closer look at the match statistics reveals the extent of Buriram’s dominance. The visitors enjoyed 62% possession and completed 83.4% of their passes, compared to Muangthong’s 38% possession and 75.4% passing accuracy. Buriram also created more chances, with an Expected Goals (xG) value of 1.15 compared to Muangthong’s 0.54.
In terms of individual battles, Buriram also came out on top. They won 58.6% of their duels and 52.9% of their aerial duels, highlighting their physical superiority. Furthermore, Buriram’s defensive solidity was evident in their ability to restrict Muangthong to just two shots on target, despite facing nine attempts in total.
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Simon Causton is the host of ‘A Thai Football Podcast’ and writer of the ’Football Siam’ blog which covers all things Thai football.