NEW!! My Favourite Match by Robert Scott: 2021

My Favourite Match

by Robert Scott

TPL

Chonburi FC 7-5 Chiang Mai FC

Chonburi Stadium

21st April, 2019

The Rocky Horror Football Show

Starting Line-ups

Chonburi – Kampol, Kroekrit, Kim, Zaw Min Tun, Noppanon. Phanuphong, Saharat, Park, Alongkorn, Patrick Cruz, Lukian.

Chiang Mai FC – Nont, Thossapol, Suwannaphat, Pichitphong, Gionata, Yuttajak, Ekanit, Chotipat, Surawich, Eliandro, Azadzoy.

Those were the days; a weekend away; a nice hotel; dinner by the beach; no mask police in the stadium; and a game of League 1 football. 

Since this is Dale’s website, he will be too modest to write about this remarkable football match – but it does deserve a mention in any record of favourite football matches in Thailand.

Football writer Paul Murphy wrote on Twitter “Chonburi 7-5 Chiang Mai – Absolutely comical defending going on here. Not a good look #T1

Others called the game breathless, astonishing.

It was all of that. And it was not so much that the defending was comical – it was mostly non-existent.

The basics first – this was the goal sequence:

1-0 18th minute – Lukian

1-1 20th minute – Azadzoy

1-2 30th minute – Ekanit

2-2 39th minute – Lukian

3-2 41st minute – Lukian

4-2 45th minute – Lukian penalty

4-3 51st minute – Azadzoy

5-3 65th minute – Lukian

6-3 79th minute – Sithu Aung

6-4 89th minute – Wanmai

6-5 91st minute – Eliandro

7-5 93rd minute – Sittichok

Without the injured Evson Chiang Mai were likely to be exposed in defense. Worse was to come when the injured Thossapol was replaced after 55 minutes. He appeared to be carrying an injury. 

Lukian opened the scoring stretching for a smart volleyed finish to a cross from Kroekrit; with Thossapol and Suwannaphat looking lost on the six-yard line.

Azadzoy’s equalizer was almost immediate and in front of the away fans. Eliandro bossed two defenders; the ball falling for Gionata whose shot was half-saved and Azadzoy was quickest to react for a simple goal.

Ekanit, such a fine young talent, danced passed four defenders (with a little good fortune as well) to slide his shot home for 2-1.

Chiang Mai then lost the experienced, and terrier-like, Pichitphong to injury after 35 minutes. It marked the beginning of the away team’s collapse.  In the confusion of reorganization Chonburi scored 3 times in the ten minutes before half time all from Lukian. 

Patrick Cruz outjumped the leaden-footed Yuttajak to release Lukian for a pacey, composed finish. 2-2.

Lukian’s 3rd was just as good; a neat pass from Kroekrit and buried inside Nont’s far post. 3-2.

Lukian’s fourth was from the penalty spot after Yuttajak’s off-the ground tackle took both Lukian and the ball.

Half time and Chonburi led 4-2. As an aside Lukian is now at Júbilo Iwata currently playing in the J2 League. 

Early in the second half and a Chonburi attack breaks down – Ekanit bursts forward – and his perfectly timed and weighted pass is driven home by Azadzoy from 20 yards for 4-3.

Lukian’s fifth was why you do not leave him unmarked in the D of the penalty area. Too easy. 5-3.

Sithu Aung’s first action as substitute was to sprint from half way and blast an unstoppable left foot 15-yard drive into Nont’s top corner. 6-3. 

89th minute and Wanmai unleashed his 25-yard strike for 6-4. What a goal that was. Kampol got a hand to it. It probably still hurts.

4 minutes of injury time (was it always 4 minutes when True were televising the game?)

92nd minute. Ekanit’s measured pass into the run of Eliandro – the big Brazilian has three defenders converging on him. He slides the ball passed Kampol with the outside of his right foot. 6-5. Eliandro runs to pick up the ball. We are still, bizarrely, in this. There was time for one final attack.

93rd minute. Chonburi break forward. Sithu Aung’s cross is met first time, on the volley, by substitute Sittichok. 7-5.

22 players and substitutes gave everything for 90 minutes; in great spirit; two teams just going for it; a day when being a defender was a fairly miserable experience; when the best form of defense was offense. Great entertainment for everyone who was there. 

Ekanit looked back to his best scoring one with two assists. Azadzoy looked sharp. Eliandro, as he so often did, ran for 90+ minutes and his injury time goal for 5-6 gave Chiang Mai fans unexpected hope.

Even a classic deserves a brief rant. What a miserable place Chonburi’s stadium is for away supporters. Though I should not complain given how visitors to Chiang Mai FC have been treated this season!

After the game I did bump into Dale for a chat on Thai football and a bit of Watford (who?) Oldham and Leeds.

Chiang Mai’s Coach Carlos Eduardo Parreira was also outside the stadium; his apology for the defeat was humble but not necessary. He mentioned the injuries.

But really who cares – this was a game that everyone who was there will remember and talk about. Twelve goals – the result not certain until 3 minutes into injury time. The players (from both sides) gave everything. Comical, dramatic, breathless. You had to be there to appreciate it. We were, and it will live long in the memory.