Going into yesterday’s game, the final game of the second leg of the 2017 Euro Cake Thai League 4 season, Phuket (30) were just three points behind Satun (33) in joint 2nd with Pattani, but following the weekend’s results Phuket (31) are now five points behind Satun (36) and sit alone in 2nd while Pattani (30) take up the third spot.
Turning to yesterday’s game, it was a match that had everything that all football fans could have wished for; a super strike goal, an equaliser that left the opening scorers stunned, fisticuffs on the pitch, and a penalty shoot-out to round the game off.
The first half of play saw both teams have plenty of possession of the ball, both had shotd on target but none found the back of the net.
Hard and physical challenges were flying about, many of which resulted in pretty much the entire teams coming close to blows. But what the ref deemed the worst in the opening 45 came in the 23rd minute and resulted in Pattani’s Kittipong Sommat (23) receiving the first yellow card of the game, his sixth for the season, and one of six in total in yesterday’s game.
But neither team managed to break the deadlock in the first 45 and the teams went in at 0-0.
The second half started pretty much as the first had ended, but in the 71st minute Phuket made what they thought to be the much needed breakthrough.
The Andaman Dragon were awarded a free-kick some 10-yards out on the right of Pattani’s penalty box. Tevarit Junsom’s (26) cross found an unmarked Nattapoom Maya (7) in the centre of the box and he scissor-kicked the ball into the back of the net.
The goal was one that any English Premier League striker would have been proud of and shows why Nattapoom is currently the league’s stand-alone leading scorer on 10 goals.
But Phuket’s celebrations were short-lived, as only seconds after Phatthalung had got the match restarted, and while the Dragon were still taking in the super-strike, Phatthalung made a quick break and from the left of the field an unmarked Cherif Mamy (11) managed to find Phuket’s goal from way outside of Phuket’s box.
Both teams continued to try to find the winner but the game finished at 1-1.
The penalty shoot-out came about as the decider as to who would play at home in the league’s third leg. As both the home and away fixtures finished level at 1-1 with both teams also level on away goals only a shoot-out could decide the fixture. And with Phuket FC only scoring three of their five penalties and Phatthalung scoring all five of their the home leg went to the visitors.
Phuket will now start the third leg of their 2017 campaign this coming Saturday (July 29) with their match against Sungaipadee FC. Kick-off is set for 6pm and entrance is just B50 for adults and free for kids who present their student ID cards.
See you at the game.