FC Phuket ready for Bangkok Utd

PHUKET: FC Phuket will be back in action on the friendly turf of Surakul Stadium tonight, when they will be gunning to snatch all three points from division 1 rivals Bangkok United and revive their dimming hopes for promotion to the elite Thai Premier League.

FC Phuket go into the match in ninth place in the Thai Division 1 table, while Bangkok Utd are five points ahead of them in fifth place.

FC Phuket will go into the match without the services of midfielders Seksit Srisai and Nithirot Sokuma, who are serving penalty suspensions, but are otherwise healthy.

Bangkok Utd won the first match between the two sides played in Bangkok in early April, 2-1, and showed they know how to collect points on the road with a 2-0 win at Chanthaburi last weekend. In fact, they are the best road team in the division, collecting five wins against just one loss and three draws in away games.

The Bangkok Utd player to watch is Romain Gasmi, a 24-year-old attacking midfielder from Lyon who is second in the division in scoring with 12 goals.

A large crowd is expected for the 6pm kickoff, but overcast skies and scattered heavy rainfall across Phuket today could see the Southern Sea Kirin strutting their stuff on a soggy pitch. The Thai Meteorological Department forecast for the 24-hour period starting at 7am today calls for scattered rain over 60% of Phuket.

Other Division 1 matches this weekend:

Today:

BBCU v RBAC

Bangkok FC v Buriram

Tomorrow:

Chanthaburi v Thai Honda

Suphanburi v Songkhla

Chainat v PTT Rayong

Air Force Utd v Chiangmai

Saraburi v Samut Prakarn

Rajpracha v JW Rangsit

— News Editor