2025-07-14, 08:00 AM - Word count:
Talk about a super sub! Last week when Krung Thep took on Athenai, they found themselves 1-0 down to a penalty right before the break despite being favorites in the match. They looked flat in the first half and desperately needed a spark in the second half. That’s when they brought on rookie left winger Matt Stro. What happened next will be the stuff of legends amongst the Krung Thep faithful for decades to come.
Stro proceeded to almost single handedly will his team past Athenai. Shortly after coming on, Stro made his mark as a super sub. After a surging run from CM Andre Caetano on an underlap inside the left back, he floated a cross to the back post and Stro rose above both Athenai’s right back and center back to connect on a powerful header that the Athenai keeper was unable to keep out despite getting some contact on the ball. Suddenly things were all level again and everyone was impressed with Stro’s immediate impact. However, he wasn’t even close to being done yet.
Just 10 minutes later, Krung Thep right back Sandro da Silva found some space to run into down the right wing and lifted a high cross to the back post on the edge of the 6 yard box. Stro sprang up again to meet the ball. His initial header was parried away by the Athenai keeper but Stro pounces on his own rebound and slams it into the roof of the net from point blank. In 20 minutes on the pitch, the super sub has scored twice and he has the whole city of Bangkok rocking in the stands. The question was no longer if he’s scoring a hat trick, but when.
Watching the match stream, even the announcers were starting to show their excitement at this point. Sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see what he’d do next. Just 5 minutes after his second goal, Krung Thep attempts a ball over the top that is cut out by the Athenai left back, Criminal, but his clearing header goes a bit astray. Stro rises up to knock the clearance header down into the box and striker Roger Roger slammed the ball into the bottom corner to make it a two goal lead. Tally for Stro is now 2 goals and an assist in 25 minutes on the pitch.
Things were starting to cool down once the lead grew to 3-1 and there was a 15 minute lull in the game before a pretty standard passage of play erupted when Dom Patterson slipped a through ball to the overlapping da Silva, who lifted another high cross to the back post, a carbon copy of the play that led to Stro’s first goal. This time Stro again outjumped two defenders, but his header found the back of the net on his first attempt. Giving da Silva a deserved assist while capping off his own hat trick.
A shining performance off the bench from Stro and an iconic moment for a young and hungry Krung Thep side as they build momentum for the back nine of the season.
Stro proceeded to almost single handedly will his team past Athenai. Shortly after coming on, Stro made his mark as a super sub. After a surging run from CM Andre Caetano on an underlap inside the left back, he floated a cross to the back post and Stro rose above both Athenai’s right back and center back to connect on a powerful header that the Athenai keeper was unable to keep out despite getting some contact on the ball. Suddenly things were all level again and everyone was impressed with Stro’s immediate impact. However, he wasn’t even close to being done yet.
Just 10 minutes later, Krung Thep right back Sandro da Silva found some space to run into down the right wing and lifted a high cross to the back post on the edge of the 6 yard box. Stro sprang up again to meet the ball. His initial header was parried away by the Athenai keeper but Stro pounces on his own rebound and slams it into the roof of the net from point blank. In 20 minutes on the pitch, the super sub has scored twice and he has the whole city of Bangkok rocking in the stands. The question was no longer if he’s scoring a hat trick, but when.
Watching the match stream, even the announcers were starting to show their excitement at this point. Sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see what he’d do next. Just 5 minutes after his second goal, Krung Thep attempts a ball over the top that is cut out by the Athenai left back, Criminal, but his clearing header goes a bit astray. Stro rises up to knock the clearance header down into the box and striker Roger Roger slammed the ball into the bottom corner to make it a two goal lead. Tally for Stro is now 2 goals and an assist in 25 minutes on the pitch.
Things were starting to cool down once the lead grew to 3-1 and there was a 15 minute lull in the game before a pretty standard passage of play erupted when Dom Patterson slipped a through ball to the overlapping da Silva, who lifted another high cross to the back post, a carbon copy of the play that led to Stro’s first goal. This time Stro again outjumped two defenders, but his header found the back of the net on his first attempt. Giving da Silva a deserved assist while capping off his own hat trick.
A shining performance off the bench from Stro and an iconic moment for a young and hungry Krung Thep side as they build momentum for the back nine of the season.
![[Image: C75197-D1-9-E74-4-DC5-836-E-981-D75-A96413.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/nc8qJ0Nf/C75197-D1-9-E74-4-DC5-836-E-981-D75-A96413.png)
