Buriram United stunning all on Asian stage

The national team’s qualifying campaign ended with a whimper when they went down tamely to Oman 2-0 in Muscat last month, a result that consigned them to the bottom of the group. It was a disappointing end to a campaign that looked promising early on when they claimed four points in the first three games. If the Thais had no chance to make it to the final qualifying round, the public would have found it much easier to take it on the chin. But, the team, surprisingly, stayed in contention for a place in the last-10 team stage ahead of the Oman fixture.

However, the Thai side performed poorly, as if there were nothing at stake in the fixture. After going behind to an early strike, there was not a moment in the game thereafter that the Thais threatened to stage a fight-back to claim the win required of them to stand any chance of squeezing into the next round.

The fact that Thailand would have secured the qualification at the expense of Oman if they had come away with maximum points after Saudi Arabia lost in Australia only made their elimination doubly disappointing.

The Thais’ shameful exit stood in contrast to Buriram United’s outstanding display in their maiden campaign in the tournament, Asia’s equivalent to the Uefa Champions League. With many regarding them as “makeweights” in the group, the Thai outfit, which previously was known as Buriram PEA, the licence of which was bought from the Provincial Electricity Authority, made a mockery of their status by making a perfect start. 

Aware of the perceived gap in standards between the country’s football league and the “top” teams in the region, people were curious to know how a Buriram side, who swept all before them with an unprecedented treble last season, would fare on the continental stage. The signs were not good after TPL runners-up Chon Buri FC failed to reach the competition proper, going down 2-0 to K-League outfit Pohang Steelers in the one-off play-off. However, Buriram, owned by the de facto leader of the Bhum Jai Thai party, Newin Chidchob, caught everyone by surprise. They hit the ground running with a thrilling 3-2 win at home to Kashiwa Reysol, the Japanese club that reached the semi-finals of Fifa Club World Cup last year. Even after that, there were still some people who dismissed it as a fluke and Buriram would have a reality check in midweek when they faced China’s Guangzhou Evergrande, who thrashed Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea 5-1 a fortnight ago.

Buriram further enhanced their credentials by recording a well-deserved 2-1 win over their Chinese hosts at the Guangzhou Tianhe Sport Centre stadium. They proved more than a match for Guangzhou, with their two strikers, Frank Acheampong, who scored a winner, and Franck Ohandza, proving a handful to the home defence. The Thai members in the Buriram side also deserved some praise, particularly the midfield trio, Suchao Nutnum, Jakkaphan Kaewprom and Jirawat Makkharom, who pulled the strings.

With six points from two games and sitting atop the Group H table, Buriram could not have asked for a better start and club owner Newin said that they needed four more points to qualify for the last-16 round. They have a good chance to do so as they next face Jeonbuk, who propped up the section without a point and conceded 10 goals in two matches.

Buriram’s form proved they were on the right path to become a force, domestically and internationally, as Newin earlier announced. It left fans wondering what would be if he becomes the head of the Thai FA.