Songkhla FC 1-1 Muang Loei United: Southern hosts held in Thai League 2 stalemate

Songkhla FC and Muang Loei United played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Thai League 2 on Sunday 20 September 2026 at Tinsulanon Stadium, a result that left both clubs still searching for the consistency needed to climb the second-tier table.

Songkhla, backed by a lively home crowd in the south, took the lead midway through the first half and looked the more cohesive side for long spells. But Muang Loei United, who travelled down from the north-east with a compact and disciplined game plan, found an equaliser in the second half and then defended it with real determination.

Match overview

The hosts started with intent. Songkhla pressed high, forced a series of early corners and pinned Muang Loei deep inside their own half for the opening quarter of an hour. The visitors, content to sit in a 4-4-2 block and spring forward on the counter, survived that early pressure and gradually worked their way into the contest.

The game settled into a clear pattern: Songkhla with more of the ball, Muang Loei looking to break quickly through the channels. It made for an open, watchable Thai League 2 fixture, even if clear-cut chances were relatively rare.

• Possession: Songkhla FC 56% – Muang Loei United 44%
• Shots: Songkhla FC 14 – Muang Loei United 8
• Shots on target: Songkhla FC 5 – Muang Loei United 3
• Corners: Songkhla FC 7 – Muang Loei United 4

Key moments

The opening goal arrived in the 34th minute. Teerapong Kaewsaeng swung a corner in from the right and centre-back Adisak Phromsri rose above his marker to plant a header into the bottom corner. It was the kind of set-piece routine Songkhla had been working towards all half, and the Tinsulanon Stadium responded with a roar.

Muang Loei almost replied immediately. Jirawat Boonmee got in behind the home defence in first-half stoppage time, only for Songkhla goalkeeper Anusorn Jaidee to spread himself and block the shot with his legs.

Just after the hour mark, Songkhla manager turned to his bench, introducing Brazilian forward Lucas Oliveira in an attempt to kill the game off. Instead, it was the visitors who struck next.

In the 78th minute, substitute Sarawut Inthara was brought down just outside the penalty area, and Kritsada Wongchai stepped up to curl a precise free-kick over the wall and inside the far post. It was a moment of genuine quality and a goal the away side had earned through their persistence.

Songkhla pushed hard for a winner in the closing stages. Oliveira forced a fine save from Kittiphong Saengthong in the 89th minute, and a goalmouth scramble in the fourth minute of stoppage time ended with the ball being hacked clear off the line. The equaliser would not come.

Tactical story

Songkhla's approach was built on width and set pieces. Their full-backs pushed high, the midfield trio circulated the ball patiently, and the delivery from dead-ball situations was consistently dangerous. The problem was a lack of cutting edge in open play: too many crosses were cleared, and too few runners attacked the near post.

Muang Loei United, by contrast, defended with discipline and looked genuinely threatening on the break. Their two central midfielders screened the back four effectively, and the front pair worked tirelessly to hold the ball up and win free-kicks in useful areas. The equalising goal was no accident — it came from exactly the kind of set-piece situation they had been trying to manufacture all evening.

Standout players

• Adisak Phromsri (Songkhla FC): Commanding in the air at both ends and rewarded with the opening goal. Also made a crucial clearance in the second half.
• Teerapong Kaewsaeng (Songkhla FC): The creative heartbeat of the home side, delivering several dangerous set pieces and dictating tempo from midfield.
• Kritsada Wongchai (Muang Loei United): The visitors' captain led by example, scored the equaliser and kept his side organised during long spells without the ball.
• Anusorn Jaidee (Songkhla FC): Made two important saves, including a one-on-one stop in first-half stoppage time that kept his team ahead at the interval.

What it means

The draw extends Songkhla FC's unbeaten run on home soil but leaves them frustrated at dropping two points against a side they largely controlled. For Muang Loei United, the point is a valuable one on the road and further evidence that they can compete with the division's more established names.

Both clubs will now look ahead to their next Thai League 2 fixtures, knowing that in