ACL PRELIMINARY RD2: CHONBURI 4-1 KITCHEE

Chonburi: Coach Jadet Meelarp hailed a disciplined display from Chonburi as a 4-1 win over Hong Kong champions Kitchee kept the Thai Premier League runners-up in the hunt for a place in the group stage of the AFC Champions League. 

Brazilian Leandro Assumpcao scored a hat-trick while Nurul Sriyankem was also on target for the home side at Chonburi Stadium. 

And despite Wan Chun scoring in the first half for Kitchee, who eventually finished the game with 10 men after captain Lo Kwan Yee picked up a second yellow card on the hour mark, Chonburi will face 2013 semi-finalists Kashiwa Reysol from Japan next Tuesday for a place in Group E of the AFC Champions League. 

“We are very pleased with the team's performance today,” said Chonburi coach Jadet. 

“I went to see Kitchee play last week and they do not look like a typical Hong Kong team. They are good on the ball and we needed to squeeze the ball. 

"Today, we were very disciplined and made the game easy to play. 

“We hope to qualify for the group stages when it comes to this, but we will not rush to play Kashiwa Reysol. 

“We will have to see their players before, but we have a lot of confidence.” 

Leandro Assumpcao and Nurul scored to hand Chonburi a two-goal cushion after 27 minutes only for Wan to reduce the deficit for Kitchee 10 minutes before half-time. 

But after Leandro Assumpcao added a second four minutes later, the Brazilian completed his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half before Kitchee’s task was made even harder as Lo was dismissed. 

And Jose Molina’s side will now face India’s East Bengal, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim and Singapore’s Balestier Khalsa in Group F of the AFC Cup having reached the semi-finals last year. 

“I think we started well in the first period,” said Kitchee coach Molina. 

“But after we were reduced to 10 men, it became even more difficult in this game. 

“But now we want to qualify for the next round of the AFC Cup and we want to do better than last year after we reached the semi-finals, so our aim this year is to reach the final.”