United City remains winless after huge rout by BG Pathum United
Originally published by CNN Philippines
United City FC is still in search of a victory in the AFC Champions League 2022 as the lone Philippine club dropped its third straight game against hosts BG Pathum United, 0-5, on Thursday at the BG Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand.
United City had a dismal offensive outing after making only two shots on target, from the long strike attempts of Mike Ott strike and Kenshiro Daniels under the first 20 minutes of the match.
But the Philippine club’s defense worked wonders in the first half as it stopped several attempts from star Thai striker Teerasil Dangda and Pathomphon Charoenrattanaphirom.
Just before the halftime whistle, Kanokpon Puspakom broke the scoreless deadlock as he received a pass from Dangda and made the strike in the bottom left corner of the box.
In the second half, BG Pathum United became the more aggressive squad in aiming for the goal but was matched by the patient defense of United City.
Worachit Kanitsribumphen doubled the lead of BG Pathum United in the 75th minute with a right footer that sent the ball right at the center of the net.
The United City defense collapsed at the last minutes of the fixture as Diogo scored the hat-trick for the Thai club in the 80th minute off a Charoenrattanaphirom assist.
United City defender Alan Robertson unfortunately nailed an own goal in the 82nd minute—which increased BG Pathum United’s lead to four—after he stopped the pass from the left corner by Worachit Kanitsribampen and the ball went inside the wide open goal box.
Charoenrattanaphirom finally converted a goal in the 87th minute as he went to the right corner that completed a goal fest for BG Pathum United.
“The end result wasn’t quite there today, in terms of getting crosses and shots on target. We pressed, we worked, but there was nothing clinical about us today,” United City FC head coach Jason Withe said in the post-game interview.
The Thai club remains tied with Melbourne City FC on top of Group H standings with seven points, while United City FC is in danger of missing the knockout stage as it has yet to score a point with three straight losses.
United City hopes to get a payback from BG Pathum United in the double-round robin group stage on Sunday, while the team will again face Jeonnam Dragons on April 27 and Melbourne City on April 30.