Going into the match – both side’s 20th of the 26-fixture Futsal Thailand Premiere League 2015 season – fans players were anxious for action, having breaked for two weeks to accommodate the absence of reigning Futsal Thailand Premier League champions Chonburi Blue Wave, who had failed to advance from the AFC Futsal Championship group stage in Iran from July 31 to August 7 (which was ultimately won by Iranian club Tasisat Daryaei FSC).
If judging by table rankings, Phuket, in 5th place of the 14-team league, were heavily favoured against their last placed opponents who up until last night had only garnered six points this season.
But the club reprepresting the kingdom’s Communication Authority came to Phuket reinforced, with two new “Brazilian” talents, Jorge Alex and Ramon.
From the opening whistle the home team went on the attack hoping to gain an early advantage but CAT’s zone defense was solid, and it was clear that their strategy would be set on the rapid counter attack.
Alex and Ramon proved to be a deadly combination employing rapid 1-2 style play to stretch stretch out Phuket’s line, putting the Pearl on their back foot early.
And it was in only the second minute of play that the visitor’s strategy paid off, when Alex made it look easy beating Phuket’s keeper on the far post from the left flank after a smooth touch-line run.
From about the same spot as the first goal, CAT’s Apiwat Changyao (no 11) doubled his side’s lead with a piercing left-foot strike that nailed its target, under the cross bar at an 70 degree angle.
Three minutes after that CAT scored again, on a counter attack that saw Jorge skilfully chuck a pass into goal from within the area, only inches from Phuket’s goal line and keeper.
But the home team would get the final “hoorah” of the half when in the 16th minute, Jackson Santos skilfully boxed out three CAT defenders deep in their own territory creating space for an advancing Chonlathan Niebmaphai, who hammered the laid off ball straight into goal, igniting the home crowd into euphoria.
Both sides came out of the locker rooms focused in the beginning of the second half and despite front after front by Phuket, CAT did not yield any decent chances.
Sticking to their strategy of counter attack, 1-2 play, the visitors netted their fourth goal of the match halfway through the second half on the counter after stealing the ball, which featured swift flank-to-flank passing and a playbook finish by Apiwat for his second of the night.
With 8 minutes to play, Phuket Coach Chalermpong Saengdee adjusted his strategy and executed a power play, swapping in Anuwat Panoppha as the attacking keeper with each Phuket possession.
But CAT’s defensive zone still seemed to be unbreachable, at least at first. But finally, in the 36th minute , an unmarked Jackson Santos infiltrated CAT’s back door waiting patiently at the goal post to flick a low cross pass from Thanakorn Penpakul (9) to bring the score to 2-4.
Two minutes later, Suttiporn Kluncharoen added another goal to Phuket’s dedicated come-back effort with a fantastic left-foot strike from the right flank to the far post.
And with the clock ticking down into the final minute of play, Phuket’s Thanakorn Piyaprichayut found the equalizer with a right-foot strike, just left of the area and to the far post, sending the crowd into hysteria.
But with only 20 seconds left to play, neither side could affect the scoreline further and both would have to be content with the single point, their table rankings remaining unchanged as a result.
Phuket next host 7th placed Nakhon Ratchasima next Sunday, August 16, a team they lost to in their initial meeting in Korat earlier this season.
The rematch in Phuket will kick off at 7pm.
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