Thailand Futsal: Phuket United back on track with away victory

PHUKET: Five different Phuket United players scored the goals that contributed to the team’s away-victory (2-6) against Samut Songkhram on Sunday afternoon in Bangkok.

Played at Bangkok’s Fashion Island Futsal Arena, the match was both side’s 24th of the 30-fixture GMM Sport Thailand Futsal Premier League (TFPL) 2012-2013 season.

Phuket United’s goals were scored by Brazilian Jardel, who scored both of the team’s first-half goals on 15 and 19 minutes.

Four more Phuket goals came in the second half from Kitipong Sonsuwan (23); Nattapong Buachai (26); Piyapan Rattana (32) and the Pearl’s leading scorer “Action” Jackson Santos, who scored his 26th goal of the season on 31 minutes.

Santos is now joint-third top scorer of the TFPL, tied with Samut Sakhon’s Natee Tusiri.

They trail Si Saket’s Brazilian sensation Romualdo Namorato (34) and Navy’s Thai star, Jesada Chu-det (28).

Two goals by Samut Songkhram – officially known as Hong Yen Tha Kaam Samut Songkhram – were scored by Piraphon Dakimnok, who scored the first goal of the match on 9 minutes and Pansak Phothip, scoring the final goal of the match on 34 minutes.

The Andaman Pearl remain in 10th place of the 16-team TFPL with 33 points from 11 wins and 13 losses.

The result kept Samut Songkhram in 12th place with 23 points.

Phuket United now return to the island to play four consecutive home fixtures, starting this Wednesday (February 27) when they take on 7th place Nonthaburi.

That match will be followed by a Southern showdown with 5th placed Surat Thani on Saturday, March 2.

Then, on Wednesday, March 6, they will host the current 13th placed team, Prachin FC, followed by another home match on Saturday, March 9 against 14th placed Samut Prakarn FC.

All four home matches will be played at the Saphan Hin Indoor Sports Complex with a 7pm kickoff.

Phuket’s other two matches include an away fixture against 4th placed Bangkok FC (March 13) and their final match is away to current last placed Highways Department on Saturday, March 30.

Other TFPL results this weekend

Samut Prakarn 1 – 4 Chonburi
Lampang Utd 4 – 2 Highways Department
Prachin FC 7 – 4 CAT FC
Bangkok 1 – 2 Navy
Nonthaburi 4 – 6 Samut Sakhon
Leo Bang Seu 2 – 10 Surat Thani
Thai Port 2 – 7 Si Saket

— Steven Layne