Match Report
FA Cup - Round 4
Sisaket 2-3 Chonburi (AET)
Wednesday 12th August, 2015
SISAKET 2-3 CHONBURI - A PROPER CUP TIE
by Tom Jellis
As a neutral, I felt that this tie between Sisaket and Chonburi was probably going to be one of the closest ties in the Last 16 of the Chang FA Cup. I decided to make the 580km, 10 hour journey from Bangkok as I had seen neither side play this season and felt this game could be quite interesting.
What I got, was an absolutely cracking cup tie that entertained from the moment it kicked off. Both sides looked to play attacking football but it was Chonburi who started the better, having an early effort cleared off the line and then curled a shot onto the face of the crossbar just a few minutes later.
Sisaket gradually came into the match and started to match the visitors, it very quickly became an end to end game and Sisaket got on top in terms of possession. The key chance for Sisaket came on 28 minutes, no 28 was played in one on one but his effort was pushed wide of the post for a corner. Chonburi could only half clear the corner and Sisaket hit the base of the post with a shot from about 12 yards out.
It was fair to say that chances were largely at a premium with Chonburi opting to play on the counter-attack where they looked more dangerous. They first first missed a one on one and then saw a turn and shot pushed wide for a corner as they sought the opening goal.
In first half stoppage time Sisaket played a ball in from the left, but the attacker totally misjudged the header, only succeeding in heading it sideways towards his own player and the Chonburi keeper collected.
Half-time: Sisaket 0-0 Chonburi
In the second half the game improved, and chances started to become more frequent. The opening goal came on 53 minutes as Chonburi headed a left wing cross into the ground, over a centre half and the keeper, it hit the bar and Thiago smashed in the loose ball to make it 1-0. 2 minutes later, 15's header hit the outside of the post as Chonburi sought a second which wouldn't have been undeserved at that point.
They were caught out shortly before the hour. Sisaket won the ball on the right, 9 and 11 playing an unintentional one two before 9 rifled a shot across goal from the corner of the box and into the bottom right hand corner, 1-1.
Both sides continued to press unrelentlessly after the equaliser. Chonburi always maintained an edge of their opponents, and it kept spectators on the edge of the seats. Sisaket more than once needing to make a miraculous last ditch intervention to prevent a shot at goal.
Chonburi hit the post with a sidefooted shot just after Sisaket had a shot deflected just wide by a defender diving in at the last moment. Chonburi missed an open goal in the 2nd minute of injury time and after an enthralling 90 minutes we had extra time.
Full time: Sisaket 1-1 Chonburi
Incredibly the match continued at the same tempo but it looked as if Chonburi has faded as Sisaket dominated the first period of extra time. They had a 40 yard effort brilliantly saved and then went ahead in the 101st minute of the game with a back post header after a nice bit of play down the left. They managed to keep their slender lead at the interval fairly easily.
Half-time in extra time: Sisaket 2-1 Chonburi
Just as it seemed that Chonburi were out of it, the game twisted in their favour in a mad few minutes in the middle of the second period of extra time. They broke on the counter, one of their attackers mustered the energy to get away from the defender marking him and pulled the ball across the face of goal and from inches out the visitors lashed in an equaliser.
Just 3 minutes later in the 114th minute and when Chonburi crossed from the left hand side it looked innocuous but the Chonburi attacker stood in the box stuck out a leg, the ball hit the inside of the post and landed in the bottom left hand corner, 3-2 Chonburi. It completely silenced the home crowd as suddenly Sisaket were behind again.
Spectators may have expected more drama given the nature of the 114 minutes played but it wasn't to be. Sisaket were absolutely shattered having given it their all and it felt as Chonburi knew they had done enough. Sisaket tried to desperately conjure up an equaliser the final few minutes but the Chonburi seemed to a bit more energy and were easily able to see out the game.
The whistle blew on an absolutely superb game of football, the woodwork was struck on at least 5 occasions and both sides gave everything. It was a high tempo match for much of the 120 minutes, and as a neutral I didn't feel either side deserved to lose but Chonburi edged the game in terms of chances and if anyone, they deserved to progress to the Quarter Finals.
Full-time after extra time: Sisaket 2-3 Chonburi
No comments:
Post a Comment