Chiangmai United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Chonburi in the opening round of Thailand's League 1, played on Friday evening at their home ground. The result leaves the hosts sitting sixth in the table with three points from one game, while the visitors sit twelfth after their first defeat of the campaign.
Douglas broke the deadlock in the thirty-first minute, and that single goal proved decisive despite Chonburi's dominance in possession. To be fair, the visitors controlled the ball for sixty-four per cent of the match, but their attacking output told a different story.
Chiangmai managed three shots on target from seven attempts off target, while Chonburi could only muster two shots on target from six attempts wide. And here's the thing — the hosts converted one of their three efforts on target, whereas the visitors could not find the net at all.
The match was punctuated by six yellow cards across both sides, with Douglas and Kike Linares among the early bookings. Substitutions began in the second half, with Chonburi bringing on Negueba and Robinho around the hour mark, while Chiangmai made four changes between the seventy-sixth and ninetieth minutes.
By then, the result was already settled. Chonburi had not won since their opening day fixture against Nakhon Ratchasima in May, and this defeat extends that run. Chiangmai, meanwhile, continue a pattern of tight victories — they have won one of their last five meetings against opponents they faced earlier this year.