BG Pathum United fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Singapore’s Lion City Sailors in their AFC Champions League Two Group F fixture on Thursday.
Patrik Gustavsson’s second-half goal levelled the score after Marko Nikolic scored an own goal in the 25th minute in a contest that the Thai League 1 club largely controlled.
Both teams came close to scoring within a minute of each other — BG Pathum’s Fabio Kaufmann fired a shot from outside the box in the eighth minute that goalkeeper Victor Aznar managed to block, while Bart Ramselaar’s effort from a comparable range narrowly missed the target.
Left unmarked, Joao Magno had a chance he failed to capitalise on after meeting a cross from Pathum captain Chanathip Songkrasin in the 14th minute, though his header lacked enough force to test Aznar.
The Thai club fell behind in unfortunate circumstances when Giovanni Haag’s free-kick in the 25th minute landed among a group of players, deflected off the unlucky defender Nikolic, and beat a helpless Saranon Anuin.
Pathum’s Anthony Belmonte tried his luck with a low shot from short range that Aznar comfortably gathered, bringing the first half to a close with the Sailors ahead on the scoreboard despite not managing a single shot on target.
Surachai Jaturapattarapong’s team were rewarded for their strong opening to the second half when Gustavsson equalised just six minutes after the restart, calmly lifting the ball over an advancing Aznar after receiving a precise pass from Chanathip.
Chanathip nearly added his name to the scoresheet in the 57th minute when his effort from the right side struck the crossbar, while a free Gustavsson failed to connect properly with a header from just outside the six-yard box shortly after, following a delivery from Fabio Kaufmann.
Aznar reacted quickly to keep out a close-range header from Raniel Santana in the 81st minute, before Nikolic’s effort from a tight angle inside the right side of the six-yard box clipped the crossbar, denying Pathum a victory over the side that finished runners-up in the 2024/25 season.
Coach Surachai described the match as an entertaining one, noting that although his team had less control of proceedings than their Singaporean opponents, they still created a number of scoring opportunities. He pointed out that the Sailors played aggressively and put heavy pressure on his squad throughout the game.
He also explained that squad fitness levels meant the team had to make rotations and substitutions across both halves, which had some impact on the team’s overall performance.
Pathum United will next take on Bangkok United in Thai League 1 action on Sunday.