AFC Champions League Elite
Their concluding tie at Buriram Stadium gave Mark Jackson’s side 14 points to ensure qualification, while China PR’s Shanghai Shenhua closed their tourney 10 points adrift.
Buriram, who came into the game needing only a draw to advance, were mostly pegged in their own half in the opening minutes by Shenhua’s slick passing game, with Neil Etheridge making his first save when he stretched to collect Saulo Mineiro’s 25-yard strike.
The home side, however, found their rhythm soon after as Curtis Good opened the scoring in the 11th minute when the defender connected to a Peter Zulj corner in a crowded goalmouth, flicking the ball past Xue Qinghao with the back of his head.
An unmarked Suphanat Mueanta had a golden opportunity five minutes later to double their lead, but the striker was late arriving to meet Kingsley Schindler’s cross and could only see his sliding attempt go sailing over in a one-on-one encounter with Xue.
The Thailand international, however, made amends in stunning fashion in the 22nd minute when, following a corner, he chested the ball at the edge of the area and finished with a brilliant volley that flew past a diving Xue into the top right corner.
Jin Shunkai found the side netting on the half-hour mark as Shenhua looked to impose their presence but their momentum came to halt three minutes later when Rafael Ratao picked up a second yellow card for barging into Good.
With a two-goal lead and the numerical advantage in their favour, Buriram started the second half with their foot off the pedal but were still in commanding form, with Xie making a superb save to deny Goran Causic’s strike from distance in the 54th minute and then again from Peter Zulj moments later.
Suphanat then lobbed the ball over the Shenhua keeper in the 61st minute but saw his attempt cleared away by defender Jin Shunkai while an unmarked Robert Zulj fared no better nine minutes later when he sent his shot skywards from inside the 18-yard box.
Shenhua came close to pulling one back in the 73rd minute when Wu Xi crashed his header against the woodwork, with Shunkai and Wilson Manafá’s follow-ups failing to find their mark as the Thai side made their way to their second consecutive Round of 16 appearance.
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