Jorg looking to end Geylang hoodoo

W.Ng
info@sleague.com

A personal two-year winless streak against Geylang United will be sitting on Sengkang Punggol coach Jorg Steinebrunner’s mind as his team prepares to welcome the Eagles to Hougang Stadium on Thursday night.

One win and one loss each have left both sides level on three points, and with the season just three weeks young, each team will be as keen as the other to build a good early foundation for their respective ambitions.

For Steinebrunner, though, meeting Lim Tong Hai’s side will hold some special significance.

The last time he had engineered a victory over Geylang was way back in October 2006, when Woodlands Wellington had run out 2-0 winners at Bedok. Since then, the Rams were held twice by the Eagles in 2007, and suffered defeats in all their three encounters with the Eagles last season.

Interestingly, Geylang also came out tops in two of their league matches with Sengkang in 2008.

Ironically, it was the Dolphins’ shock 2-1 win in their final day of the season against Geylang that lifted them off the bottom spot above Balestier Khalsa, helping them avoid finishing the season as wooden spoon winners.

Steinebrunner, however, is only too aware that there will be no such favours this time as he attempts to engineer a victory for his new employers on Thursday.

“I have watched them twice, and they are a good team with some good players.

“But I think that it is important that we focus on ourselves, and do the things that will hopefully get us the three points.

“We always respect our opponents. We notice them.

“It wasn’t a good outing last year, that’s why I always say that the past is the past, and we should always look forward.”

The 37-year-old was also heartened by the improvement he has seen in his team since the first match of their season, when they had lost to Gombak United.

“Sengkang is a team that is different from last year.

“What’s happened in the past is past, and now we must focus on the future.

“We always look for a good performance, and with the performance we try to get a good and positive result. Hopefully the team we put out on Thursday will be enough to help us get all three points.

“I saw improvement from the Gombak game in the Albirex game, and it is definitely important that we keep improving.”

Zahid Ahmad, who followed Steinebrunner to Hougang from Woodlands in the close season, sustained an injury in the win over Albirex Niigata (Singapore), and is a doubt for the match.