Greetings and welcome, everyone. We are building up to the start of the AFC Champions League Two round of 16 first leg between Bangkok United and Macarthur FC. Stay with for live updates.
Greetings and welcome, everyone. We are building up to the start of the AFC Champions League Two round of 16 first leg between Bangkok United and Macarthur FC. Stay with for live updates.
The match kicks off at 5:45pm IST. The Bangkok United vs Macarthur FC, AFC Champions League Two game will be live streamed on the FanCode app and website in India. It will not be telecast on any TV channel in the country.
This is how the two teams line up tonight:
Macarthur FC topped Group E with 13 points (W4, D1, L1), and their dominance can be explained from the fact that runners-up Cong An Hanoi FC had eight points. Bangkok United, on the other hand, endured a tougher Group G campaign, advancing as the runners-up narrowly despite possessing equal points as Lion City Sailors (10 each).
The match gets underway at the Pathum Thani Stadium. Macarthur FC, kicking from right to left in the first half, earn a corner in the very first minute. But the Bangkok United goalie has it covered.
In the preceding game at AFC Champions League Two, Pohang Steelers played out a 1-1 stalemate with Gamba Osaka in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. Jorge Luiz (70th minute) neutralized Ryoya Yamashita's 47th-minute opener to ensure that the second leg, to be played on February 19 at the Suita City Stadium, becomes a winner-takes-all one.
Ilias Alhaft hands Bangkok United the lead in the 37th minute! It was a half chance, really, but the Dutch winger weaved his way around the Macarthur defence at the edge of the box before sneaking in a shot that took a deflection before going in.
After four minutes of added time, the referee brings the first half to a close. The teams go into the changing room with Bangkok United clearly the happier of the two, courtesy Ilias Alhaft's 37th-minute strike. Let's see how the Aussie club responds.
The teams are back from the lemon break and Bangkok set the ball rolling again, kicking from right to left in the second half and Macarthur the other way.
Arthur de Moura scores! Instant impact from the substitute as he comes in for goal-scorer Ilias Alhaft and finds the back of the net himself in the 72nd minute. Bangkok United now have sizeable advantage in this tie.
Five minutes have been added as stoppage time to the second half. Can Macarthur cut the deficit before the first leg match concludes? Remember that they play hosts in the second leg and could well turn the tables on Bangkok United, later on.
The scoreline stays at 2-0 in Bangkok United's favour at full time in the first leg. Macarthur FC have it all to do at home in the second leg, which will be played on February 19 at the Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Sydney.