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Thailand All Stars 2-2 Reading FC: Pogrebnyak Levels In Tour Draw

Pavel Pogrebnyak hit a late equaliser as Reading denied Thai All Stars a comeback victory in the first pre-season friendly of the 2015/16 campaign.

By The Tilehurst End News Desk
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Reading: Al-Habsi (Bond), Gunter (c) (Owusu), Obita (Griffin), Keown (McShane), Ferdinand (Long), Norwood (Kuhl [Novakovich]), Williams (Akpan), Tshibola (Quinn), Taylor (Kelly), Fosu (Pogrebnyak), Blackman (Samuel).

With a good crowd in the Bangkok National Stadium and a sizeable audience watching live on YouTube, the Royals got underway in a diamond 4-4-2 with Welshman Chris Gunter wearing the armband.

Early chances came the way of Tarique Fosu and Nick Blackman, the young winger's pace clearly a threat as the Royals started brightly. The pressure told when the duo combined again, Fosu breaking down the left flank to find Blackman and the former Sheffield United man beat the defender to the cross and netted the opener.

Reading were compact when defending deep in a 4-4-2 setup when without the ball, with freedom to move in attack. However, trialist goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi was beaten by an excellent free-kick just moments before the interval, Sarach Yooyen the man putting the All Stars on level terms at the break.

A debut for Jonathan Bond arrived in the second-half, and the Englishman was forced into an early double save as the Thais started brightly. The second goal arrived on the 53rd minute when Pinyo Inpinit put it in from a dangerous cross. In truth, the defending was static at best. It should have been three when Kittpong Wongma smashed the post from a good chance, Sean Long then had to deny a rebound on the line to keep Reading in the game.

Confidence and possession returned to the Royals' game as Paul McShane and Stephen Quinn were introduced, but fellow sub Pavel Pogrebnyak did the business when he turned in Dom Samuel,'s who looked very pacey in a right-wing outing, whipped cross.

Reading gave 23 players a run-out in Bangkok and the friendly was ended with a presentation and, of course, fireworks. The Royals will make some event appearances across the region before heading back to face Bristol Rovers on July 21. Full highlights are available here.

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