Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Chonburi: Thai outfit Chonburi were made to work for their place in the 2016 AFC Champions League playoffs after coming from behind twice to beat Myanmar’s Yangon United 3-2 in Preliminary Stage 2 on Tuesday.
With the victory, the Sharks are now just one win away from qualifying for the group stage for only the second time, with their only appearance so far coming in 2008, but face a tough encounter against Japan’s FC Tokyo in a week’s time.
In what proved to be a thrilling encounter at the Chonburi Stadium, it was Yangon who broke the deadlock after 19 minutes when Marcelo Fernandes netted with a close-range finish, only for Anderson dos Santos to equalise for the hosts three minutes after the hour mark when he nodded home a Korrakod Wiriyaudomsiri freekick.
The visitors edged ahead again in the 79th minute when Kyaw Ko Ko did brilliantly to skip inside Chonlatit Jantakam and exchange passes with Marcelo before steering a low shot past Tanachai Noorach.
But only two minutes later, the Sharks were able to respond once more when another dangerous delivery by Korrakod connected with Suttinun Phuk-hom who duly sent it to the back of Yangon's net.
The goal was enough to force extra-time and it was Chonburi who went on to claim the victory in the 105th minute when Dos Santos flicked Korrakod’s freekick into the path of Worachit Kanitsribampen and, although his header came back off the bar, Kroekrit Thaweekarn was on hand to stab home the rebound for the winner.
And having let victory slip from their hands, Yangon’s frustrations boiled over right at the end as they finished with nine men, after both Zaw Min Tun and Than Htet Aung were sent off in quick succession.