Ghana's Kingsley Schindler powers Buriram into ASEAN Club Championship final

Ghanaian full-back Kingsley Schindler struck a decisive extra-time goal to send nine-man Buriram United into the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup final, despite suffering a 2-1 second-leg defeat against Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) on Wednesday.

The Thai champions advanced 4-3 on aggregate following a dramatic, ill-tempered encounter that saw them finish with nine players.

Carrying a comfortable 3-1 advantage from the first leg, Buriram’s cushion evaporated under intense pressure from the Malaysian hosts.

JDT broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time when Bérgson da Silva converted a penalty after Marcos Guilherme was fouled inside the area.

The momentum shifted entirely to the home side in the 62nd minute when Guilherme turned scorer, firing home JDT’s second of the night to level the aggregate score at 3-3 and force the match into extra time.

Amid growing tension and disciplinary trouble for the visitors, Schindler became the hero in the 98th minute, launching a powerful strike past JDT goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi to restore Buriram's aggregate lead.

The drama escalated as Buriram's Guilherme Bissoli and Goran Čaušić were both sent off late in the game.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, the Thai side withstood a furious late onslaught to seal their final berth, where they will face Selangor FC.