Bangkok United succeeded in restricting defending champions Buriram United's lead to just two points with a 1-0 win over Chainat late Saturday night as the focus of Thai League 1 contenders and strugglers shifted to transfer market.
Everton Goncalves scored his fifth goal of the season with a nifty header off a lob from Sorrawat Detchmitr just after the hour mark to help Bangkok United secure three points and go into a two-week break in second place.
Bangkok United have acquired promising Air Force Central defender Wanchai Jarunongkran, 21, for the second leg, which will kick off on June 9.
They are planning to offload Carlos Salom who has not been getting much opportunity with the team's three other foreign players -- Vander Luis, Robson Fernandes and Everton Goncalves -- doing good service to the capital side.
Buriram United, whose firm grip on the top spot was loosened to a great extent by a couple of shock defeats recently, have wrapped up their quota of 17 first-leg matches with 41 points.
The Thunder Castle also did well to reach the last 16 stage of the AFC Champions League where they were thwarted by South Korean giants Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
With an eye on winning at least two domestic titles, Buriram have been one of the most active clubs in the transfer market, acquiring four new players.
On the list of new signings for the second half of the season is ex-Brazil forward Osvaldo Filho. The other three are Filipino striker Javier Patino, Anuwat Noichuenphan and Siwarut Pholhirun.
Osvaldo's arrival at the northeastern club has however cast his compatriot Edgar Bruno da Silva's future in doubt and the latter is likely to be released by the team before the second-leg kick-off.
Buiram's arch-rivals SCG Muang Thong United have recently signed former Serbia national and U21 teams' manager Radovan Curcic as their new coach. They are up to fourth place now after spending some time in the lower half of the 18-team league.
They are not likely to spend a lot of money in the transfer market, but will be on the lookout for a centre-back as their Brazilian star Celio Santos is still recovering from an injury.
They are also likely to ship out bench warmer Siroch Chatthong to Ratchaburi.
Striker Siroch has yet to score a single goal for Muang Thong and his regular selection in the national squad under coach Milovan Rajevac has been raising quite a few eyebrows.
Third-placed Port's coach Jadet Meelarp has already announced that he is happy with the squad and is not interested in signing new players.
In the five-team relegation zone, Bangkok Glass and bottom-placed Air Force are the two busiest clubs in the transfer market.
The Glass Rabbits stole the headlines by signing injured Thailand midfielder Tanaboon Ketsarat for 40 million baht.
Air Force have terminated contracts of their three foreign players -- Leandro Assumpcao, Jaycee John and Renan Marquez -- for performing below par and are actively seeking replacements for the second leg.
