Muang Thong United secured a vital 2-1 victory over Nakhon Ratchasima in a Thai League 1 match played on Saturday at True BG Stadium, boosting their chances of avoiding relegation. The home side emerged triumphant courtesy of a last-minute penalty converted by Willen Popp after a VAR review confirmed a handball in the penalty area during stoppage time.

Nakhon Ratchasima initially took the lead in the 48th minute through a long-range effort by Leon James. However, Muang Thong United equalized in the 81st minute when defender Anusak Jaiphet inadvertently scored an own goal. The decisive moment came deep into added time when Muang Thong were awarded a penalty following the video assistant referee’s intervention. Popp calmly dispatched the spot-kick in the fifth minute of added time, securing all three points for the home team.

With this win, Muang Thong United climbed to 14th place in the 16-team standings, earning 24 points with three matches remaining. They remain precariously close to the relegation zone, lying one point behind 13th-placed Sukhothai and two points adrift of 12th-ranked Lamphun. Nakhon Ratchasima, meanwhile, remain at the bottom of the table with 21 points.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Ratchaburi handed Bangkok United a heavy 4-1 defeat at the latter’s home ground. Ratchaburi took an early 2-0 lead with goals from Njiva in the third minute and Denilson Junior in the 15th. The visitors were reduced to ten men just before halftime following the sending off of Adisorn Promrak. Despite Bangkok United’s Rivaldinho scoring in the 65th minute to reduce the deficit, Ratchaburi’s Tana netted twice in stoppage time to seal the victory.

Other matches on the day saw PT Prachuap secure a 2-0 win over Chonburi, while Uthai Thani comfortably defeated Rayong 4-1. The results reflected ongoing shifts in the league standings as teams near the season’s conclusion.