AFC Champions League Two
Patrik Gustavsson’s second-half strike cancelled out an own goal by Marko Nikolic in the 25th minute in a match largely dominated by the Thai outfit, who made their debut last season.
Both sides went close within a minute of one another - BG Pathum’s Fabio Kaufmann’s drive from outside the box in the eighth minute was pushed away by keeper Victor Aznar and Bart Ramselaar’s strike from a similar distance just sailed wide.
An unmarked Joao Magno should have done better after he connected to a cross from BG Pathum skipper Chanathip Songkrasin in the 14th minute, but the striker’s header lacked the power to trouble Aznar.
The Thai side conceded the first goal in unwelcome fashion when Giovanni Haag’s 25th-minute free-kick found Nikolic amidst a crowd of players, bounced off the unfortunate defender and past a stunned Saranon Anuin.
BG Pathum’s Anthony Belmonte’s optimistic low drive from distance, easily collected by Aznar, closed the first half, with Sailors holding the advantage despite failing to land a single shot on target.
Group F: Lion City Sailors FC (SGP) v BG Pathum United (THA)
Item 1 of 8
Surachai Jaturapattarapong’s side reaped the reward for a strong start after the break when Gustavsson leveled six minutes in, the striker picking up a perfect pass from Chanathip to coolly chip over an onrushing Aznar.
Chanathip almost put his name on the scoresheet in the 57th minute when his strike from the right rattled the bar while an unmarked Gustavsson mis-timed his header from outside the six-yard box moments later following a Fabio Kaufman cross.
Aznar instinctively pushed away a close-range Raniel Santana header in the 81st minute before Marko Nikolic grazed the bar from an acute angle inside the right of the six-yard area to put an end to BG Pathum’s hopes of a win over the 2024/25 runners-up.
