The home side almost found a way through in the seventh minute after Bissoli’s headed pass set up Supachai Chaided to advance into the box before he was closed down by Pohang keeper Hwang In-jae.

Pohang threatened in the 13th minute with Hong Yun-sang and Baek Sung-dong both missing their efforts from inside the box before Jorge Teixeira mistimed his header, sending it over the bar.

Pohang had a great chance in the 33rd minute when Baek sent a delightful through ball for Hong, whose run into the box was foiled by Buriram keeper Neil Etheridge.

The visitors’ upped the tempo but misses from Wanderson, who tried to squeeze his shot from an acute angle in the 36th minute, and Oberdan’s wayward shot seven minutes later summed up the first half chances.

Buriram started the second half with added aggression and their strategy bore fruit in the 56th minute when Bissoli turned in Sasalak Haiprakhon’s cross from inside a packed six-yard-box.

Pohang came close to leveling just after the hour mark with Wanderson’s curling set-piece from above the box just missing the bar, while Lee Tae-seok failed to find the target from distance in the 64th minute.

The three-time Asian champions winners poured bodies forward but it was not meant to be their day after Oberdan’s header hit the crossbar as Buriram held on to seal the win.

Buriram will travel to Yokohama on 6 November, while Pohang will be looking to revive their campaign when they entertain Shandong Taishan of China PR.