Suphanburi continued to get their season back on track after beating Singhtarua 2-1 on Saturday to claim their second consecutive win in the Thai Premier League.
Following a goalless first half at the Suphanburi Municipality Stadium, Velizar Popov’s charges took the lead in the 74th minute when Jakkapan Pornsai broke free down the right and chipped a neat cross to the near post for Charyl Chappuis to head home.
And five minutes from time, Suphanburi doubled their lead when Bjorn Lindemann sent Chanin Sae-Eae the wrong way from the penalty spot, after Bireme Diouf had been hacked down by Wisarut Wai-Ngan inside the box.
The Port Lions did manage to pull one back in injury-time when Kim Geun-chul poked the ball home from close range after Anurak Chompoopruk had flapped at a corner, but it proved to be a mere consolation as the hosts held out for the win.
Following a slump in form, this victory – coupled with Wednesday’s 2-1 triumph over Samut Songkhram – has allowed Suphanburi to climb back up to sixth on the table.
However, the same cannot be said for early-season pacesetters Ratchaburi as they went a third game without victory after being held to a 0-0 draw by Sisaket at the Dragons Arena.
Over at the TOT Stadium Chaeng Watthana, Chainat came from a goal down to defeat TOT 3-2 in a bad-tempered clash that saw both sides have a man sent off.
The hosts had edged ahead after seven minutes when Prakit Deeprom found the net with a deflected 30-yard freekick, only for Jules Baga to equalise in the 14th minute when he tapped home on the rebound after Sumanya Purisay’s initial effort had been saved.
Chainat then took the lead a minute after the break when Laksana Kamruen pounced on a suicidal back-pass by Kritnaphop Mekpatcharakul and fired past Weera Koedpudsa, but they found themselves down to ten men three minutes later when Theerachai Ngamcharoen was shown a second yellow.
Despite the numerical deficit, the Hornbills further extended their lead in the 68th minute after their opponents’ failure to clear their lines at a corner saw Jules Baga pick up the ball and whip a cross back in for Seon Power to nod over the line.
TOT did manage to reduce the deficit ten minutes from time, when Noppol Pol-udom unleashed a left-footed strike from the edge of the box that took a wicked deflection before looping past Kritsakorn Kerdpol.
But any hopes they had of forcing the draw late on were effectively ended in the 82nd minute when they were also had a man dismissed after Supakit Niamkong was penalised for a second bookable offence.
Meanwhile, Bangkok United’s unbeaten run in all competition was extended to eight games following a 0-0 draw with Police United at the Thammasat Stadium, although they might have felt they could have done more to claim maximum points.
And finally, there was separating two sides currently in relegation trouble as PTT Rayong and Air Force Central played out a 1-1 draw at the PTT Stadium.
Things could have been worse for the hosts as it was Air Force who took the lead six minutes before the break, when Bang Seung-hwan met a long pass with an unstoppable header into the back of the net.
Nonetheless, PTT went on to claim a share of the spoils in the 75th minute when Spanish defender Rafael Wellington strode forward through the middle and tried his luck with a 30-yard drive that Kosin Hembut could only help into the bottom corner.
Saturday’s Thai Premier League Results
PTT Rayong 1-1 Air Force Central
Ratchaburi 0-0 Sisaket
Police United 0-0 Bangkok United
Suphanburi 2-1 Singhtarua
TOT 2-3 Chainat
Football SEA 