Mario Silva "Credit to Etheridge and Our GK Coaches"
Buriram United head coach Mario Silva says he's immensely proud of his players' character after his side battled back from a goal down, and later a numerical disadvantage, to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Johor Darul Ta'zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in the AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 League Stage(East Zone).
Speaking after the final whistle, Silva reflected on a performance he described as remarkable given the limited preparation time available since his arrival at the club.
"I'm very proud of every single player in this match. I've only just taken charge of the team, and we haven't had much time to prepare because of our packed schedule. But everyone performed incredibly well," Silva said. "Even though we fell behind to Johor Darul Ta'zim early in the game, everyone tried their best to play as well as they could — and that's a fantastic character to have. Our hard work meant we equalised before half-time, and I think we deserved it."
The Portuguese coach acknowledged that the complexion of the match changed dramatically once Buriram were reduced to 10 men in the 57th minute, but praised his side's resilience in adapting to the situation.
"In the second half, our game plan looked very different. We had fewer players on the pitch from the 57th minute, which meant we had much less possession than before. Their players are good, but I believe our players are just as good. To fight back and hold a draw under the pressure we faced was something truly excellent," he said. "I think if we'd had equal numbers, the result might have looked different. When we were down to fewer players, Johor Darul Ta'zim threw everything at us to try and win — and I know the history between these two clubs well. I have to praise the mentality of our players; everyone was remarkable."
Silva was also candid that a draw wasn't necessarily the outcome Buriram had set out to achieve, pointing to a recent domestic result as context. "I didn't come here just looking at the draw, because a draw isn't the result we wanted. In our last league match, we also drew — we had 16 shots but could only convert one into a goal.
But to come away with a draw under the conditions we faced today, I'd have to say it's a result we can accept. I also want to congratulate Johor Darul Ta'zim — they played very well, they have a good team, and this stadium is a truly magnificent venue."
Asked about goalkeeper Neil Etheridge's crucial late penalty save, which proved decisive in securing the point for Buriram, Silva was quick to share the credit around his coaching staff rather than attribute it purely to individual brilliance.
"I want to give credit to both the goalkeeper and our team — we are one team. It was a fantastic save from Neil Etheridge, but I also want to credit our goalkeeping coaching staff, because we had prepared for this situation. We knew which corner he was likely to shoot to — it wasn't just luck, it was the hard work of Neil Etheridge and our goalkeeping coaches," Silva explained.
"As I mentioned yesterday, we prepared thoroughly before the game and analysed the opposition in detail, and this was one of those details about the opponent. Even though the taker could have changed his placement in the moment, today he didn't. Neil Etheridge is one of our captains, and he's a key player for this team — but as I've said before, every important player for us is everyone in this squad.
I'm happy with everyone, even the players who didn't get on the pitch today, because they're still part of the team, supporting their teammates both on and off the field. I believe it's this kind of excellent attitude that will keep us moving forward with strong performances."
Credit Photo : AFC
