Hiroshima lift Premier Cup

Hiroshima lift Premier Cup

Muang Thong striker Teerasil Dangda, left, vies with a Sanfrecce Hiroshima player. JIRAWAT SRIKONG
Muang Thong striker Teerasil Dangda, left, vies with a Sanfrecce Hiroshima player. JIRAWAT SRIKONG

SCG Muang Thong United's 3-1 loss to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Toyota Premier Cup on Saturday night has failed to ruffle their coach Totchtawan Sripan.

Despite fielding a star-studded line-up including Chanathip Songkrasin, Tristan Do, Kawin Thamsatchanan, Teerasil Dangda, Theerathon Bunmathan and Cleiton Silva, the Kirins failed to match the 2015 J-League champions for the most part of the match.

However, Totchtawan insisted that Muang Thong opponents should not read much into their defeat.

He said: "We intentionally went into the match with an attacking line-up. We have the AFC Champions League coming up so we needed to run a check on a few things.

"When the Thai League gets underway, our tactics will be different.

"We are not serious about the result of the Premier Cup as we still have an ample time to improve."

Muang Thong had several chances in the first half, but the rock-solid Hiroshima defence thwarted fine efforts by Chanathip and Xisco Jiminez to put the Kirins ahead early in the match.

Muang Thong goalkeeper Kawin was also required to make a hasty save, punching an Andersson Lopez shot off the field.

The J-League giants got their first goal in the 56th minute from Masato Kuta, who was on target again five minutes later to make it 2-0 for Hiroshima.

The visitors scored their third goal when Theerathon fouled a Hiroshima player in the box and Lopez converted from the spot.

The Thai League champions did not give up and picked up a consolation goal when Cleiton opened the ball for Teerasil to slot home for the Kirins.

Hiroshima, which became the second Japanese club to win the cup, received one million baht and a Toyota Corolla Altis ESport while the Kirins earned 500,000 baht.

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