AFC Champions League Elite
Worrawoot Srimaka’s side had lost both of their opening matches in the eastern league phase but put on a strong defensive display against a Kashiwa side that rarely showed the creative quality to break through their hosts’ backline.
The result moves Ricardo Rodriguez’s side onto four points from their first three matches after Kashiwa, semi-finalists in the competition in 2013, had bounced back from an opening loss to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC with a comprehensive win against Port FC last month.
Ratchaburi showed promise in the early exchanges with Tana thumping his effort high and wide in the fifth minute. Thanawat Suengchitthawon’s attempt from outside the box soon after was closer but still failed to trouble Kashiwa goalkeeper Kengo Nagai.
At the other end, Hiromu Mitsumara was just off target with a left-foot strike from long range in the 12th minute while six minutes later the visitors went closest to open the scoring.
Shota Fujio was played into the Ratchaburi penalty and the forward sought to pull his right-foot shot back across goalkeeper Kampol Phatamakkakul and into the bottom corner of the goal, but the Thailand international stuck out his right boot to direct the ball wide.
MD3: Ratchaburi FC (THA) v Kashiwa Reysol (JPN)
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Ten minutes after the interval Sai Van Wermeskerken made a timely block to deny Tojiro Kubo while seconds later Tarek Aggoun redirected Kenshin Yuba’s shot to safety with Kashiwa attempting to increase the pressure as the second half unfolded.
Kampon frustrated the J1 League side again in the 68th minute when Yusei Yamanouchi released Fujio on the right, allowing the forward to fire a low centre across the face of goal that Yuba met at the far flank and the goalkeeper used his feet to clear.
Ratchaburi’s defensive resilience allowed the Thai League 1 side to grow more adventurous as time wore on with Worrawoot’s team exerting pressure of their own. Kashiwa had to weather a succession of corners as Nagai was belatedly put under pressure.
Kashiwa continued to probe for a way through in the dying moments but the home defence held out as the teams shared the points.
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