Nakhon Pathom United 1 Chiang Mai FC 2
Thai M150 Championship
Saturday 16 April 2022
Nakhon Pathom Provincial Sports School Stadium
Starting XI
Kiadtiphon
Sumeth
Veljko
Poomphat
Kiadtisak
Saharat
Suchanon
Pongrawit
Danilo
Seiya
Tawan
Cometh the hour….93 minutes gone. 1-1. Chiang Mai without an away win in 2022. Penalty. Up steps Seiya Sugishita. Cool, calm, clinical. His penalty is emphatically dispatched into the top left corner of Nutchanon’s goal.
A massive sigh of relief; a shout of joy that could probably be heard in Chiang Mai.
Flirting with relegation has been uncomfortable; mid-season Chiang Mai looked secure – but a poor run of form in February and March has been salvaged by two successive wins that guarantee League 2 football next season.
Nakhon Pathom’s stadium has one of the best playing surfaces in the League – but the lighting is poor. Chiang Mai’s choice of their green away kit on a poorly lit green surface was almost a camouflage.
In reality it was not a great game and before the late drama both sides appeared to be happy to settle for a point.
The first twenty minutes passed without incident before Alberto’s overhead kick, which was acrobatic but well wide of the target.
Nakhon Pathom took the lead in the 26th minute with a gift from the visitors. Under no pressure Kiadtisak at right back gave away the ball to Sajjaporn; Keith Nah was alert enough to run into the penalty area behind Veljko and his first time left foot effort from Sajjaporn’s short pass was scuffed past Kiadtiphon to dribble inside the far post.
Kiadtisak’s frustration saw him jump into a two footed tackle in front of the main stand for which he was booked.
But redemption came quickly when his control and short cross found Seiya who held off a weak challenge from Supoat and his right foot shot was deflected by Chanatat inside the near post with Nutchanon stranded.
Chiang Mai had to hold on to 1-1 at half time; Anurak met a long free kick at the far post but dragged his finish so wide that a throw in resulted; Veljko deflected Phithack’s 25 yard shot wide and a great ball out of defense found Sajjaporn whose low cross beat Kiadtiphon but was cleared by Poomphat.
Gustavsson replaced Kiadtisak at half time with Tawan moving to, and doing well, at right back.
Phithack’s left foot shot had dip and swerve and was parried clear by Kiadtiphon.
The goalkeeper, who handled confidently throughout, then had his one aberration of the game rolling a ball out to the right side of his penalty area to where he thought Veljko might be. Sajjaporn was comfortably first to the loose ball but in his excitement belted the ball well wide.
In the last ten minutes Neto headed over as a Nakhon Pathom corner ricocheted around the penalty area. Neto was again involved when he ran onto Berg’s pass but his shot was parried away by Kiadtiphon and Neto dragged the rebound well wide.
The penalty came in injury time from Chiang Mai’s only significant attack of the second half. Seiya’s low cross finding Supasak whose shot was initially blocked but as he ran for the rebound he was hauled back and to the ground by Anukorn. There could be little argument.
Seiya scored. Players and supporters celebrated.
Khon Kaen FC were relegated today joining Navy. The third relegation spot is between Rajpracha and Customs. CMFC can relax and enjoy the last two games of this long season.