Although Wednesday ‘s morning game against CAT started poorly, Phuket came back from two goals down to set the final score at 5-2.
Before the game on Saturday, Phuket United’s “Coach Hum” Suphol Senapheng had warned that the Navy futsalers – placed fourth in the Thailand Futsal League – would be a tough team to beat.
But Coach Hum successfully devised a strategy to exploit his newest, highest-paid player: the Brazilian Marcos Vinicius De Medonco, who arrived in Phuket just one day earlier.
“They are in the military, they are strong. They have a very good power play – and fast. Those are the advantages they have on us. But we also have our own advantages.
“We play at home, they travelled from Sattahip [in Chonburi province] to here, while we are all fresh. We also have our own power play and we also have our new guy [Marcos] that they have never played against. That will be our game.”
And, indeed, the game against Navy on Saturday all went according to plan.
Brazilian futsaler Jardel de Andrade Apolonio scored Phuket United’s opener in the game against Navy, and his fellow Brazilian Jackson Santos soon followed suit, giving Phuket United a 2-0 lead. Navy scored their first goal only a minute before half time.
In the second half, Navy changed their tactics and their highly-regarded power play (when an opposing player is sent off until the next goal) earned them an equaliser.
This was when Coach Hum ordered Marcos onto the pitch to change the tide: the new player ran rampant through the Navy defenders before he scoring his first goal for Phuket United from the left field, causing fans to roar with joy.
Navy still hoped for another equaliser: their power play attempts were strong but the defiant Phuket United defence would not let it happen.
The score remained 3-2 until the last minute, when Phuket United’s Bencharong Panpob cut off Navy’s power-play ball in the midfield and fired off a shot towards the goal, scoring to make it 4-2 just before the final whistle.
Coach Hum was practically jumping with joy after the game.
“It was great, everybody played very well, just like we planned. Our teamwork won this game,” he said.
“If we can play as a team like we did against Navy, we will do okay. We will keep winning for our fans.”
And they did – with a 5-2 win against 10th placed CAT FC in Bangkok on Wednesday.
The fans at the game against Navy on Saturday were delighted with the win.
“It was very fast, the tension in the game was high,” one fan told The Phuket News.
“The pitch is so small, futsalers must keep playing, and shots fired from anywhere can lead to a goal. I believe if Phuket United keep winning like this, soon we will see this stadium full of fans cheering for them.”
Phuket United play next at home on Saturday, January 12, against top side Chonburi RBAC.
It’s expected to be an especially tough match – Chonburi recently appointed former Thai national futsal head coach Jose Maria Pazos “Pulpis” Mendez as their head coach.