“It’s true that we’ll be without Murillo, (Juan) Muniz, and Park (Jun-heong) for the next match, but we need to stay focused and keep fighting. We have capable players who can step up and fill their roles, so planning for the next game isn’t a concern for me,” said Bidoglio.

“My objective was to secure three points and while we didn’t achieve that, I’m pleased with how the team performed overall. We balanced our attacking and defensive efforts well and maintained control of the game.”

JDT ended the match with nine men following Murilo and Park’s sending off while Buriram captain Theerathon Bunmathan also saw red. 

“Competing at this level (ACLE) is challenging, but the players demonstrated teamwork and applied pressure on our opponents. Ultimately, football comes down to finding that finishing touch, and that’s where we fell short.

“Despite that, I am proud of the team. They absorbed the pressure during the first 25 minutes when we were down to 10 men and still managed to control the ball effectively,” said Bidoglio, whose side face Australia’s Central Coast Mariners when the competition resumes in February. 

Buriram head coach Osmar Loss was relieved to take home a point, highlighting the tactical adjustments needed in the second half.

“We didn’t take full advantage when we had the numerical advantage, but I am still satisfied with the commitment shown by each player. They worked hard and followed the tactical plan well. 

“One thing I noticed was that when JDT played with 10 men, they adjusted their game structure. Often, they would control the attacking patterns, but when reduced to 10, they fell back and waited for us to attack, setting up counter-attacks that created dangerous situations for us,” said Loss, whose side will face Ulsan HD of Korea Republic when the competition resumes.