Sukhothai beat Port 2:1 in the Thai League 1 on Saturday, rounding off the third matchday with a result that surprised plenty of people watching from the stands. The hosts took the lead in the third minute through P. Chamratsamee, then saw Jefferson respond just three minutes later before Nathan Palafoz restored the advantage for the home side in the 31st minute. The visitors kept pressing but could not find an equaliser, and the final whistle confirmed a victory that lifted Sukhothai off the bottom of the table.
And here's the thing about those opening exchanges — you watch a match and remember the first twenty minutes even when nothing else sticks. Chamratsamee's strike came from a quick transition, and Jefferson's reply was almost immediate, but Palafoz's third-minute goal shifted the momentum before Port could settle into their rhythm. To be fair, the visitors had the deeper squad on paper, but the match did not play out the way the numbers suggested it might.
By then the statistics were already telling a different story. Port finished with 0.7 possession against Sukhothai's 0.3, created more attacks and won more corners, yet the home side still took all three points. Shots accuracy sat at 0.36 for Sukhothai and 0.3 for the visitors, and neither side managed to create a big chance despite the volume of attempts. It is one of those matches where the table goes out of the window in the moment, and the result feels earned rather than calculated.
The match also brought disciplinary notes and a flurry of changes from both sides. Moreira Gouvea picked up a yellow card in the 40th minute, while Mhuaddarak joined him on the book in the 79th. Substitutions began in the 46th minute with Luan, followed by a series of changes at 55, 61, 62, 64, 75 and 80 as both managers tried to find a way through or hold on. It was not a tactical masterclass, but it was a match decided in those three opening goals.
The result leaves Sukhothai still in 12th place with three points from three games, while Port remain in sixth with six points. The hosts had lost their last two league matches before this win, so they have not won since May, but a victory over a higher-ranked side changes something in the dressing room. Port, meanwhile, have now lost two of their last three across all competitions, and the gap at the top remains stubbornly out of reach.
