SUKHOTHAI, Thailand (Interstat) — A dramatic late red card capped a fiercely contested 1-1 draw between Sukhothai and Ayutthaya United in Thai League 1 play on Saturday at Thung Thalay Luang Stadium.

The match, which saw both goals scored by defenders and a flurry of late disciplinary action, ultimately matched the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator. The statistical service had given host Sukhothai a 59.5 percent probability to win, but the visiting Ayutthaya side secured a valuable road point.

Sukhothai started brightly and found an early breakthrough. Defender Chaiyaphon Otton opened the scoring in just the sixth minute, finishing a play assisted by Pharadon Phatthaphon to send the home supporters into an early frenzy. The goal set a physical tone for the match, with the first yellow card shown to Ayutthaya’s Atsadawut Changthong in the 14th minute.

The first half continued to be a scrappy affair, with Wellington of Ayutthaya United and Sukhothai’s Chakkit Laptrakul both receiving cautions before the break. The visitors, however, regrouped and found their equalizer in the 59th minute. It was Wellington, the recently substituted attacker, who leveled the score, converting an assist from fellow substitute Chakkit Laptrakul to make it 1-1.

The second half saw both teams push for a winner, but clear chances were limited as the midfield battle intensified. The tension spilled over into a flurry of bookings in the final stages. Ayutthaya’s Natcha Promsomboon was shown a yellow card in the 78th minute.

The game’s most significant flashpoint occurred deep into stoppage time. In the 98th minute, Sukhothai substitute Kitphom Bunsan received a yellow card. Mere seconds later, in the 99th minute, he was shown a second yellow, resulting in a red card and reducing Sukhothai to 10 men for the final moments. The incident was preceded by a yellow card for Sukhothai’s Pharadon Phatthaphon in the 91st minute.

The draw leaves both teams in the middle of the Thai League 1 table. Ayutthaya United’s record in the competition now stands at six wins, five losses and seven draws for the season. Across all competitions, they have seven wins, five losses and seven draws.

For Sukhothai, the single point gives them a league record of six wins, seven losses and eight draws. Their overall record across all tournaments moves to eight wins, eight losses and eight draws.

Ayutthaya United will look to build on the result when they host BG Pathum United FC on Feb. 22 in their next league fixture. Following that, they will travel to face Chonburi FC on Feb. 28.

Sukhothai, now forced to plan without the suspended Kitphom Bunsan, has a longer break before their next match. They return to action on March 1 with a visit to BG Pathum United FC. Their schedule then includes a trip to face Bangkok United on April 4 and another away match at Nakhon Ratchasima on May 2.