AFC Champions League Elite - Dougall: Buriram on right track despite Kashima stalemate

Buriram: Buriram United captain Kenny Dougall believes his side are making progress under new head coach Raul Caneda despite having to settle for a 0-0 draw against Kashima Antlers in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27™ on Wednesday.

The result left Buriram 12th in the standings with three points from four matches, while Kashima moved to 10, two behind leaders Vissel Kobe.

#ACLElite | Buriram United (THA) 0-0 Kashima Antlers (JPN)

“You’re never happy with a point at home,” said Dougall. “We need to be winning these games. But we have a new head coach and a lot of new players, and I think we’re making progress. There’s more pressure on us now going into the second half of the group stage.

“He’s tried to give us a bit of confidence. There’s only so much a new head coach can do in a few days. We’re disappointed overall, but we’ll take a point against a very good side.”

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge kept Buriram in the contest, denying Minato Yoshida and Haruki Hayashi in the first half before thwarting second-half substitute Leo Ceara.

Raul Caneda said his team had little time to prepare but found a way to compete.

“We were in a difficult situation and had very little time to train, but we found a way to compete. We defended well, although we could have been more composed on the ball. When we got into their half, we picked the right moments to go forward,” said Caneda.

“It was a tough game, but the players gave everything. It was good for us to play this match.”

The draw at Buriram Stadium ended Kashima’s perfect start with head coach Toru Oniki frustrated by his side’s inability to convert their chances.

“It’s frustrating to come away with a 0-0 draw. The players worked hard and stayed focused until the final whistle, but we lacked the quality we needed in the final third to score. That’s something we have to work on,” said Oniki.

“Even if you don’t score yourself, a shot can give a teammate a chance to follow up. If we take more shots and put in crosses with purpose, we’ll be a much more dangerous team.

“There were also moments when we could have pushed forward more. That’s another area where we can improve.”

Dougall: Buriram on right track despite Kashima stalemate

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