League Cup
Round 2
Petchaburi 0-4 Chonburi
Phetchaburi Municipal Stadium
Attendance: 1,300
Wednesday 11th July, 2012
Match report
PHETCHABURI 0-4 CHONBURI
In spite of the reservations about the team selection in my preview, this was every bit as comfortable as the result would suggest. In fact, if we’d have scored eight no-one could have had any complaints. I can only remember the home side having two shots on target, whilst we were guilty of squandering a number of good chances at the other end. However, it would be churlish to find fault after such an emphatic and, dare I say, professional victory.
The starting eleven certainly raised a few eyebrows – with only four regular first teamers making the cut - but not nearly as many as the pitch. It was a shocker. If I say that it was the worst one I’ve seen in over fifteen years of following Thai football, you’ll get an idea of just how bad it was. Prior to kick off I commented that it could only get worse if it were to rain. Right on cue, the heavens opened. Thankfully it was only a light shower and it didn’t last long but it had certainly made the already rotten surface a lot worse.
It was quite clear from the early exchanges that the biggest threat would come from the conditions underfoot and not the opposition. Both Diakite and Kiatprawut looked very uncomfortable when the ball was passed to them in the back line and we had a couple of nervy moments in the opening few minutes. Sinthaweechai in goal was also the victim of a horrendous bobble from a back pass, which squeezed under his foot and headed towards the unguarded net. Fortunately he was able to react quickly enough and raced back to clear the danger and spare his blushes.
As the match wore on, the visitors gradually adapted their game and once Noppanon put us in front with a lovely turn and finish on fifteen minutes, the result was never in doubt. Dossevi, who was getting a rare start, was playing well and seemed to relish running at the Phetchaburi defence at every opportunity. The big striker was rewarded for his efforts just before half time when he rose to head home a right wing cross and give a fairer reflection of the first half had gone.
After the break, the home side showed a little more determination to get forward and launched a series of attacks, thus forcing Sinthaweechai into his first really serious action since his potential “egg on the face” moment in the opening period. However, the in-form keeper dealt with any threats quite comfortably.
In spite of the home side’s pressure, it came as no real surprise when the Sharks added a third on fifty eight minutes when Akarawin slid home Noppanon’s first time cross. From here on in it really was a case of “how many?”
With the Phetchaburi players clearly tiring and obviously dis-heartend, Heng rather cruelly brought on Therdsak and Pipob to have some fun during the last thirty minutes. There then followed wave after wave of Chonburi attacks when the players were clearly trying to trying to set each other up to score. But in spite of all the pressure, there was only to be one more goal added when Therdsak blasted the ball into the roof of the net from Pipob’s pass.
So, 4-0, job done and on into the next round. It was a thorough performance from Chonburi and the only real downside was what looked like a serious injury to Kushida. The ever present Japanese player was clattered from behind late in the first half and didn’t return after the interval. I can only hope that this was just a cautionary measure and that the rapidly improving midfielder will be fit enough to feature at the weekend.
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