Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Osaka: Theerathon Bunmathan’s spectacular free-kick ensured Buriram United maintained their hold on poll position in Group F as well as their unbeaten record in the AFC Champions League following a 1-1 draw with Japanese treble winners Gamba Osaka on Wednesday.
Gamba, who are yet to win in this year’s continental competition, went ahead on 39 minutes thanks to Hiroyuki Abe’s strike from close-range.
But the home side were unable to hold onto their lead as Theerathon curled home a magnificent strike from range on the 63rd minute to give the visitors a share of the points.
Coaches' reaction: Gamba’s Hasegawa not giving up on knockout phase
And with Korean FA Cup winners Seongnam FC defeating China’s Guangzhou R&F in Tuesday’s other Group F tie, Buriram remain in first place at the midway stage albeit just a point ahead of the K League Classic side.
In a bid to find their first win of the tournament, Gamba made four changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Seongnam a fortnight ago with midfielder Tomokazu Myojin making his first start of the continental competition with Takashi Usami, Kotaro Omori and Keisuke Iwashita all returning to the line-up.
Visitors Buriram, who remained unchanged with the same starting 11 from their previous two AFC Champions League outings, began proceedings at a sodden Expo ’70 Stadium in rapid fashion as Brazilian forward Diogo headed just wide on three minutes as he glanced Suchao Nutnum’s inswinging free-kick narrowly past the upright.
And just four minutes later Prakit Deeprom went even closer to a spectacular opener of his own as he met a ball over the top with a leaping volley that almost looped over goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi who scrambled back to save on his goal-line.
But if the opening action was in the away side’s favour, the remainder of the half belonged to the hosts as Usami and Abe proved a constant thorn in the side of the visitors.
On ten minutes Usami slipped a pass across the face of the penalty area and Abe slammed in a shot that was deflected onto the crossbar by Buriram custodian Siwarak Tedsungnoen.
And Gamba continued to pour forward at will before finding the breakthrough with six minutes of the half remaining.
Brazilian forward Patric embarked on a powerful run down the right flank and crossed in for Usami whose low shot was tipped onto the post by Siwarak but the ball went only as far as Abe who drilled home the rebound.
Two minutes before the half-time whistle, though, Gilberto Macena went within inches of restoring parity, but his rising shot from ten yards out flashed over the crossbar.
But Buriram did level the scores in spectacular fashion just after the hour mark, however, as Theerathon unleashed a sublime free-kick from distance that arced into the top right-hand corner of the goal past Higashiguchi’s despairing dive.
With less than 20 minutes of the match remaining Suchao then went close to replicating Theerathon’s stunner with his own set-piece from range that clattered against the opposite corner of the goal.
And although Gamba fought back, desperate to secure victory in front of their home fans, the home side were unable to breech the Buriram rearguard and were forced to go a third game without a win in the competition and remain rooted to the bottom of Group F.