The result sees Bangkok United remain in second place with 54 points, four points behind league leaders Buriram United, who have a game in hand. Port FC move to 40 points and stay in 4th place.
Both Port FC and Bangkok United came into the game looking for a crucial victory to either close the gap at the top or consolidate their position, but neither could find the decisive goal.
The game began with Bangkok demonstrating attacking intent and Port choosing an unfamiliar defensive approach. Bangkok came close to opening the scoring early on. In the 9th minute, a defensive lapse by Port FC’s Tanaboon Kesarat led to a swift counter-attack by Bangkok. Zivkovic delivered the final pass to Mahmoud Eid, who scored from inside the penalty area. However, the celebrations were cut short as Zivkovic was deemed to be offside in the build-up.
Bangkok continued to apply pressure and had another significant opportunity to take the lead in the 42nd minute. Al Ghassani found himself with a promising chance in the penalty area, but his shot struck the crossbar, denying the visitors a crucial goal.
The second half unfolded with both teams striving to find a breakthrough. Eid had another opportunity for Bangkok in the 54th minute, cutting in from the right wing and unleashing a shot, but it narrowly missed the target, going just wide of the post.
Ultimately, neither side could find the back of the net, and the match concluded in a 0-0 draw.
Deep Dive
Bangkok United aimed to control the game, evidenced by their dominance of possession, holding the ball for 59.2% of the match compared to Port’s 40.8%. This reflects Bangkok’s intent to dictate the tempo.
However, despite their possession advantage, Bangkok struggled to carve out clear-cut chances. This is reflected in the expected goals (xG) statistic, where Bangkok registered 1.31 xG, while Port’s xG was 0.94.
This indicates that while Bangkok saw more of the ball, the quality of goal-scoring opportunities was arguably similar. Bangkok registered 6 shots with 4 on target, while Port had 5 shots with 3 on target.
The statistics paint a picture of Bangkok’s dominance in possession not necessarily translating into a significant advantage in terms of clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities. Port FC, while having less of the ball, remained a threat.
The result has significant implications for the Thai League 1 title race. The draw means Bangkok United fall further behind league leaders Buriram United, who now have a four-point advantage and a game in hand. This gives Buriram a significant edge as the season progresses. Port FC’s draw maintains their position in the top half of the table.
Other Thai League 1 scores
BG Pathum United 1-0 Lamphun Warriors
Nakhon Pathom 1-0 Uthai Thani
Khon Kaen United 0-1 Nongbua Pitchaya
Sukhothai 2-1 Ratchaburi FC
Chiangrai United 1-0 Rayong
Prachuap 5-0 Muangthong United
Buriram United 5-0 Nakhon Ratchasima
Simon Causton is the host of ‘A Thai Football Podcast’ and writer of the ’Football Siam’ blog which covers all things Thai football.