TPL
Chonburi 3-1 Nakhon Ratchasima
Chonburi Stadium
Attendance: 3,769
Saturday 29th September, 2018
Match report
by Russ John
As the game commenced, the Swatcats had an early let off when they carelessly gave the ball away in midfield and only a great save from Cunningham avoided a disastrous opening. In the 5thminute, we saw the other side of keeper Cunningham when he mis controlled a back pass and presented Kroekrit with the ball. Kroekrit accepted the gift and tapped in to give the Sharks an early lead.
The visitors persevered in midfield but the inability to convert possession into chances was, as usual, evident. Assumpcao had a free kick blocked in what was one of few chances managed in the opening exchanges.
As Chonburi began to dominate, Ciro almost made the most of poor Swatcat defending when he nipped in and drew a near post save from Cunningham. Minutes later, more woeful defending presented an unmarked Worachit with a tap in on 32 minutes to put the Sharks two up.
On 38 minutes, Assumpcao gave the Swatcats a glimmer of hope when he beat two defenders on the edge of the box and fired in from 12 yards - a fine solo goal.
In the dying seconds of the first half, VAR drama, as the official checked whether Cunningham had brought down a Chonburi striker. He quickly decided that there was no offence committed.
The second half was largely played in farcical conditions as the heavens opened to produce a deluge that I have rarely experienced at a Thai football match. Constructive football was a nonstarter, although by then, Chonburi had already sealed a victory. The only highlights of note - barely visible through the stair rods of falling rain, were a Nebihi dazzling solo run through the defence ending in a tame shot and the Shark’s third goal, a weak shot from Kroekrit that literally crawled across the waterlogged pitch into the net to evade a stranded Cunningham.
Another insipid display, rather typical of the Swatcats’ recent performances. Little up front and tonight fragile at the back. The second half maelstrom had negligible effect on the result although it did reduce the match to farce. Sheltering under the stand with fellow boisterous Swatcat followers during the storm did nothing to reduce the malaise of tonight’s spectacle. How I yearned for the comfort and cover of my usual seat in the main stand at the 80th Anniversary Stadium!!
Match report
by Peter Reeves
You've got to laugh haven't you. That or just weep. You sit down to watch a game of football and then... Monty Python couldn't have written this stuff.
Chonburi started positively. Testing the Korat keeper a couple of times from distance. Did they know something?
On 5 minutes, Korat's left back, caught in six minds near his own goal, decided on a back pass. A pass that went straight across the box, not to the keeper, but a few metres in front of him. Did the keeper, put in a bit of trouble, come out and belt it down field? Oh no... This one tries to dribble round the approaching Kroekrit, loses it, sits on his backside and watches as it’s 1-0. Oh dear, oh dear.
On 12 minutes, the ref decided to show his incompetence as Korat attacked. A ball through into the Sharks’ box, two players offside, but he gave a free kick to the attacking side on the edge of the box because someone breathed on a forward. Nothing transpired.
On 19, we had seen the start of the Oscar winning performances and Swatcat's number 5 got himself well positioned to win the 'Neymar' award, with a theatrical dive over his own leg. He was later outdone.
Half an hour gone and it was about even, but you could sense Korat were an accident waiting to happen. Another piece of defensive chaos presented a tap in for Worachit from one metre for 2-0.
Eight minutes later, Leandro attacks the home penalty area from a central position and tries a one two. He gets the return and buries it quite well. Only trouble was, one of his team mates was 3 yards offside, as he played it in for the first pass. Oh, never mind, our ref doesn't bother with irrelevant things like that.
Half time. It had been poor, though at times amusing. Neither team able to hold the ball, keep a shape or do anything really. And we’d had the spectacle of seeing Worachit throwing up, though why he needed a stretcher, I don't know,
The game, as a football match, was effectively over as the heavens opened as the second half got underway. It was so bad that you could hardly see the ball, as the screen turned grey.
Water ballet commenced as the pitch flooded. There were some highlights. A Kroekrit soft effort hit the post and the Korat keeper heading it into his own net for 3-1 was quite comical and our Brazilian hero, Ciro, decided to come back on after being substituted. Then, when quite rightly asked to leave the field, he had a right hissy fit. He screamed and screamed until he was sick! Off he went.
With the ninety minutes almost up, there was still time for a Swatcat player to win the 'Neymar' with his audition for Swan Lake down by the goal line. He was booked. Even this ref saw through that one.
The question is, why wasn't the match abandoned when it became clear that play was impossible? I suppose someone was using the brain cell somewhere else.
Chonburi, safe now, but in the first half, not very convincing. The team isn't set up properly to play five passes at the back and then hump it forward.
Korat? Is this the club of Tuck, Sartoshi, Lindemann and Chivuta? Please don't anyone tell me they've got better. Billy Bunter on the touch line has had a long time to sort out the defence. Nothing. He'd be better off going back to working with Stan Laurel.
So Sharks fans breathe a bit easier and look forward to next season. Maybe a proper coach and 8 new players coming in will make a difference. It might be harder next year, with a lot of the really bad teams gone. Time for some good management decisions...for a change!
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