Buriram United vs Johor Darul Ta’zim

Chang Arena forms the backdrop for the first leg of an exciting AFC Champions League last-16 tie between Buriram United and Johor Darul Ta’zim.

Buriram’s league-phase campaign didn’t brim with confidence, yet a three-game unbeaten run toward the first-round finale (W1, D2) helped them lock down a knockout berth. However, Osmar Loss’ side blew hot and cold (W3, D3, L2) and failed to impress at home despite winning twice in four matches (D1, L1). Indeed, they only scored three goals across those encounters and found the net before halftime just once, suggesting they could be slow out of the blocks. A low-scoring theme looks certain, not least because Buriram and Johor shared the spoils in a tepid 0-0 draw in December. That same scoreline saw the Thai outfit drop points against sub-par Uthai Thani last weekend, allowing second-placed Bangkok United to reduce the gap to five points.

On the other hand, Johor tightened their grip on a 12th consecutive title in their national championship with a 2-0 home win against Perak last time out, protecting their near-perfect league record this season (W19, D1). Unlike their rivals, Hector Bidoglio’s men thrived on the continental scene during the league phase, only losing once in seven matches (W4, D2) while averaging over two goals per game. Yet, they were far from impressive on foreign soil, delivering a mixed bag of performance across three AFC Champions League away outings in the opening phase (W1, D1, L1). A high-scoring theme was the only common denominator, with all three fixtures producing over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet.