Muang Thong begin title celebration

Muang Thong begin title celebration

Championship sealed after win over Chainat

A first-half header from star striker Teerasil Dangda last night secured the Thailand Premier League title for SCG Muang Thong United.

Muang Thong United supporters celebrate their team’s victory on the pitch. PHOTOS BY APICHIT JINAKUL

Unbeaten Muang Thong, coached by Serbia's Slavisa Jokanovic, edged out Chainat FC 1-0 at SCG Stadium. Muang Thong now have 77 points from 31 games, 14 ahead of second-placed Chonburi FC who only have four more games and 12 points up for grabs.

It will be the Kirins' third title in four years after Buriram United took the honours last season. Jokanovic has made a winning start, given it is his first season as Muang Thong coach.

Chonburi kept their slim hopes in the title race by beating TOT SC 2-0 to narrow the gap to 11 points on Saturday.

Teerasil and Dagno Siaka both came close to opening the scoring for the home team early on but were denied by Chainat FC goalkeeper Chalermkiat Sombutpan. Teerasil finally broke the deadlock in the 40th minute when he headed home a cross from the right by Piyaphon Bunthao.

Muang Thong should have got their second goal in the first-half injury time when Teerasil beat the offside trap and crossed the ball to Jakkraphan Pornsai but his shot was parried by Chalermkiat.

Muang Thong remained in control for most of the second half and Paolo Rangel came close to double the score for the Kirins in the 83rd minute.

Muang Thong director Ronnarit Suewaja said: " We've been working very hard this season. Not only the coaching staff but everybody in the team. A lot of people thought that we wouldn't be able to come back after we finished third last season. But we came back and won the title today.

Goal-scoring hero Teerasil Dangda.

"We still have three matches to play and we will try our best to win all the matches and finish this season without losing a single match."

After they were taken over by sports media empire Siam Sport Syndicate, Muang Thong gained promotion to the Thailand Premier League in 2009 and won the TPL title that year.

They retained the title the following season before Buriram United broke their dominance last year.

Muang Thong came back with a vengeance this year. With funds from SCG, which spent around 300 million baht to become a shareholder and a sponsor of the club, the Kirins had spending power and bought players like North Korean defender Ri Kwang-Chon and Macedonia midfielder Mario Gjurovski.

Gjurovski has formed a formidable partnership with Teerasil and his impressive performance has earned him the nickname 'Super Mario.'

BEC Tero Sasana moved to third place in the TPL standings after a 1-0 victory at Chiang Rai United yesterday.

Wichaya Dechmitr struck the winner in the 33rd minute for the visitors who now have 53 points from 32 games, two ahead of last season's winners Buriram United who suffered a 2-1 defeat at Osotspa M-150 Saraburi yesterday.

Sirisak Faidong put Buriram ahead in the 48th minute before Lazarus Kumbi equalised three minutes later with a superb header. Sarawut Jaturapat scored the winning goal for the home team in the 87th minute.

Wuanchon United rallied for a 1-1 home draw against Esan United at Tinsulanonda Stadium. Yai Nilwong put the visiting Esan ahead after 13 minutes before Kriangkrai Pimrat equalised in the 69th minute.

At Nong Prue stadium, Pattaya United drew 0-0 with Bangkok Glass FC while bottom club TTM Chiang Mai suffered yet another home defeat after they went down to Samut Songkhram FC 1-0 at Chiang Mai 700th stadium.

The only goal of the match came from Diouf Bireme in the 51st minute.

STANDINGS

P ! W !D ! L!F!A! Pts!!

SCG ! 31 ! 23 ! 8 ! 0 ! 66 ! 27 ! 77!!

Chonburi FC ! 30! 19 ! 6 ! 5 ! 57 ! 27 ! 63!!

BEC Tero !32! 15 ! 8 ! 9 ! 48 ! 40 ! 53!!

Buriram Utd ! 32 ! 13 ! 12 ! 7 ! 56 ! 37 ! 51!!

Esan Utd ! 32 ! 10 ! 14 ! 8 ! 39 ! 40 ! 44!!

Osotspa ! 31 ! 13 ! 4 ! 14 ! 47 ! 45 ! 43!!

TOT SC ! 32! 10 ! 12 ! 10 ! 41 ! 41 ! 42!!

S. S'khram ! 32 ! 11 ! 9 ! 12 ! 34 ! 38 ! 42!!

Wuachon ! 31 ! 9 ! 14 ! 8 ! 42 ! 41 ! 41!!

Bangkok Glass ! 32 ! 9 ! 14 !9 ! 47 ! 37 ! 41!!

Army Utd !32 ! 9 ! 13 ! 10 ! 32 ! 36! 40!!

Insee Police !32 ! 9 ! 11 ! 12 ! 34 ! 37 ! 38!!

Chiang Rai !32 ! 9 ! 11 ! 12 ! 35 ! 44 ! 38!!

Pattaya Utd ! 32 ! 9 ! 10 ! 13 ! 34 ! 42 ! 37!!

Thai Port ! 32 ! 8 ! 9 ! 15 ! 30 ! 44 ! 33!!

Chainat FC ! 32 ! 7 ! 12 ! 13 ! 54 ! 70 ! 33!!

BB-CU FC ! 31 ! 4 ! 13 ! 14 ! 30 ! 50 ! 25!!

TTM ! 32 ! 2 ! 12 ! 18 ! 23 ! 52 ! 18!!

Kirins’ Macedonian playmaker Mario Gjurovski, right.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT