Kobayashi gives Albirex second successive win

Ong Jiing Yih 
info@sleague.com  

An early volley from Ryota Kobayashi helped Albirex Niigata (Singapore) to a second successive victory and continued Home United’s stuttering start to the season at Jurong East Stadium.

His fifth-minute winner was sufficient to edge out the Protectors who, despite their best efforts, could not find a way past Yoshito Matsushita in the Albirex goal.

The young Japanese stuck to their plan impeccably and stuck doggedly to the cause for the remaining 85 minutes, keeping their goal intact in the process.

Having garnered their first win over Home since September 2006, Albirex now sit in fifth place, leapfrogging the Protectors who dropped to sixth.

Home may have lost the match but could take heart from an improved display, with Shi Jiayi a keen runner and creator from midfield.

But there was dissent on the terraces, the Home fans constantly haranguing and heckling coach PN Sivaji and doing their team no favours with their stance.

Still, there was no denying Albirex coach Naoki Naruo’s moment. “I appreciate the way the players followed my instructions and played according to plan. We knew what we wanted, controlled possession as it was our first priority to defend,” he said.

Naruo had skipper Takatoshi Uchida back in the starting eleven, while Taisuke Akiyoshi reverted to the bench.

Meanwhile Home tactician Sivaji made several key changes to his side, bringing in Ridzuan Fatah Hassan, Firdaus Idros and Shahdan Sulaiman in place of Lionel Lewis, Tengku Mushadad and Peres de Oilveira.

Coupled with Norikazu Murakami and Kengne Ludovick who had another opportunity to cement their partnership up front, Sivaji’s changes were intended to give a Home lineup some fresh impetus and zest having not tasted victory in three matches.

However, keeper Ridzuan had barely flexed a muscle before he had to pick the ball out of his net, with the match barely five minutes old.

A cross by Keisuke Ogawa down the left was knocked down by Shota Matsuoka in the box, and despite the best efforts of Shi and Shahril Ishak, Kobayashi arced his body and lashed in a wonderful volley from the edge of the box to put his side one up.

Ludovick almost made his persistence count immediately after the setback, but the resultant shot from Shahril was blocked by a timely intervention.

Home realised they had a game on their hands and began their quest to restore parity, Shi coming close with a long-range effort.

But with Albirex dominating early proceedings it was easier said than done to prise open the hosts. Kenji Adachihara turned and shot wide despite Valery Hiek’s attentions.

Hiek then had to be at his commanding best in defence, swatting away Tetsuya Kishida with ease near the corner flag.

Home refused to give in, piling forward in search of an equaliser. And after Shahril headed straight at Matsushita, Shi stormed down the right but found only the side netting with his cross-shot.

The national midfielder then drew a save from Matsushita with a precise freekick, before another straightforward attempt saw Shahril foiled by Matsushita’s smother.

A noteworthy point of Home’s performance was the movement, vision and passing of young midfielder Shahdan, who provided a few sparks in his team’s play.

That was as good as it got for Home, who nearly got hot and bothered four minutes after the restart. Akira Takase took advantage of some loose marking and headed wide, with veteran S Subramani stranded.

With Uchida and Yoshitaka Komori mopping things up in midfield, effective service to the frontmen was a rare commodity for Home.

But Shi refused to lie down, asking questions of Matsushita with two freekicks and then a rasping drive from distance in the 64th minute.

Diminutive forward Firdaus then came close with his screamer flying just past the goal frame.

At the other end Takase had Home on the rack, after smashing his fierce drive against the visitors’ crossbar. An animated Naruo struck the ground in frustration on the touchline, as what could have been a potential game-settling goal deflected away to safety.

His side then had more chances to wrap up the game, only for Ridzuan to stand firm to save Home from further embarrassment.

First, keeper Matsushita punched a clearance forward to the surging Akiyoshi, who beat the offside trap and placed his snapshot goalwards, but saw Ridzuan to deny him on 73 minutes.

Fellow substitute Shunsuke Sunaga could have had an immediate impact after coming on for Kishida, firing straight at Ridzuan in a one-on-one situation two minutes from the end.

In between, Home’s own Japanese forward Murakami’s intent nearly brought about an own goal from Kobayashi, whose sliced clearance was tipped over the bar by Matsushita. From the corner, Fadzuhasny Juraimi missed the subsequent header.

Four minutes of stoppage time were not enough for Home to claw their way back into the game, though Sivaji saw some glimmer of hope for forthcoming matches ahead.

“We saw a hungry, determined and physical Albirex side who denied us clear room and put one or two bodies in the box everytime we tried launch an attack.

“I'm disappointed we lost but not the way we had played. I have no qualms in saying the reserves who came in did well,” maintained Sivaji.