Al Shorta 2-4 Chonburi - Match Report: 2012

AFC Cup - Quarter Final

Al Shorta 2-4 Chonburi (Agg: 4-5)

Venue: Prince Mohammad International Stadium, Zerqa City, Jordan

Attendance: 200

Wednesday 26th September, 2012

Match Report

AL SHORTA 2-4 CHONBURI (aet)

by www.the-afc.com

Brazilian striker Thiago Cunha bagged a hat-trick which included two crucial goals in extra-time as Chonburi of Thailand came from behind to beat Syrian champions Al Shorta 4-2 on Wednesday to reach the AFC Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Chonburi trailed 2-1 on aggregate after losing at home in the first leg of the quarter-final but they turned the match around when captain Pipob On-mo and Thaigo scored late in the first half of the return match at the Prince Mohammad International Stadium in Zarqa, Jordan.

Oday Al Jafal got Al Shorta back on level terms with a penalty in the second half and Ali Ghalioum, who had earlier missed another penalty, appeared to have won the tie for the Syrian club when he scored three minutes into extra time.

But Thiago scored again in the 111th minute to level things once again and he then completed his hat-trick in stoppage time to seal a memorable 5-4 aggregate win for the Thai club.

Having been eliminated in the quarter-finals twice in the past three years, Chonburi can now look forward to a semi-final against Iraqi champions Arbil with the first leg in Iraq next Tuesday.

Al Shorta’s win in Thailand meant that Chonburi had to score twice in the return match to avoid elimination and they began in positive fashion with Thiago forcing a good save out of goalkeeper Mahmoud Karkar with a ninth minute header.

However, it was the Syrians who had the better goal-scoring chances early on as Al Jafal headed wide of an open goal and then hit the woodwork twice in two minutes.

Their best opportunity to extend their lead arrived in the 32nd minute when goalkeeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool’s challenge on Ghalioum resulted in a penalty. But the midfielder’s attempt to outwit Sinthaweechai from the spot backfired as his weak chip was easily gathered by the Chonburi goalkeeper.

Ghalioum would have more reason to rue that miss as Chonburi scored twice in three minutes to turn the tie on its head.

Jetsadakorn Hemdaeng played a big part in the first goal in the 35th minute, breaking clear on the right flank and drawing Karkar off his line before squaring the ball to Pipob who initially mis-controlled the pass but recovered in time to slam his shot into the net.

The Thais then went ahead thanks to some quick thinking by Thiago. Hamdi Al Massri tried to dribble past the Brazilian on the right flank but when Pipob nipped in to tackle the Al Shorta defender, the ball squirmed free to Thiago, who alertly spotted Karkar off his goalline and sent an accurate lob from 30 metres into the unguarded net.

Al Shorta were able to regain their poise after the half-time break and they were given the opportunity to level the score when the referee awarded them a second penalty after Geilson went down in the box after a challenge by Fode Diakite.

Al Jafal made no mistake this time, blasting the ball past Sinthaweechai to make it 3-3 on aggregate.

Choburi had a great chance to win the match in regulation time but Jetsadakorn opted to pass to Thiago rather than shoot when he was sent clear on goal.

And that miss appeared costly when Al Shorta scored again three minutes into extra-time. Geilson centred the ball from the right of the Chonburi box to Ghalioum, who controlled the ball on the edge of the six-yard box before despatching it past Sinthaweechai’s despairing dive.

Chonburi were not about to throw in the towel though and they would take a 3-2 lead in the game and level the aggregate score once again in the 111th minute when Thiago fired home after Arthit Sunthornphit’s free-kick from the right had been headed back across goal by Chonlatit Jantakam.

It would have meant a penalty shootout if the score had remained that way as away goals do not count in extra-time in the AFC Cup. But in stoppage time, Thiago sealed the win for the Thais as he fired past Karkar at his near post after a delightful through pass had sent him clear of the Al Shorta defence.