In the end, the artificial pitch was not an issue for J-League champions Kashima Antlers. Nor was the humid weather. The Asian kingpins showed their class when they stormed to a 4-1 win over the Warriors at the Jalan Besar Stadium to get their AFC Champions League campaign back on track.
With Shanghai Shenhua defeating Suwon Bluewings 2-1, the top three teams are now on six points each, with Suwon leading the group on goal difference.
Unlike Suwon, which fielded several second-stringers against SAFFC, Kashima started with the same first XI that beat Sanfreece Hiroshima and Kyoto Sanga in their last two domestic games. Kashima won both games 2-1.
That meant Masashi Motoyama and Mitsuo Ogasawara manned the engine room and 18-year-old Yuya Osako partnered MVP and top-scorer Marquinhos upfront.
As for the Warriors, injuries to John Wilkinson and Kenji Arai meant that Mustaqim Manzur and Razaleigh Khalik started instead. At left-back, Zulfadli Zainal Abidin was also handed his first start instead of Shaiful Esah.
In the initial minutes, the Warriors did well to hold Kashima at bay, and even had their chances.
In the fourth minute, Therdsak Chaiman was brought down by Masahiko Inoha. Park Tae Won then put the ensuing freekick narrowly wide.
Therdsak was once again the fulcrum of every SAFFC attack, and minutes later, he fired in a shot, which did not really bother Kashima goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata.
Kashima were also getting closer with every attempt. Right-back Atsuto Uchida, who was in the Japan World Cup qualifier squad to play Bahrain, worked his way into the area before passing to Marquinhos in the 18th minute. Warriors custodian Shahril Jantan did well then to save at his feet.
However, in the 23rd minute, the wall finally cracked when midfielder Masashi Motoyama volleyed home an unstoppable shot after a cross from the right.
But the Warriors' response was swift and sharp.
Barely two minutes later, Therdsak floated in a free-kick to the far post and right-back Hafiz Osman, back from suspension, rose to head home majestically.
The 25-year-old was simply over the moon. He ran to the bench and exchanged hi-fives with everyone.
Said Hafiz after the game: "I just told my fiancee yesterday that it has been my dream to play against Kashima Antlers since I saw them on TV. I was just 10 years old then, and they were playing against Nagoya Grampus Eight. Then, I told myself that one day, I will play against them.
"And now, to score against them? Really happy. This is Kashima, man, what do you think?"
Buoyed by the equaliser, and egged on by the crowd, the Warriors grew in confidence. Could a second goal be coming? They went in search of an answer.
However, during a foray upfront, they were caught out at the back as Kashima turned defence into attack instantly. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the Warriors goal area and Uchida restored their one-goal cushion.
The blitzkrieg continued just two minutes after the break as 18-year-old Osako sent the flag-waving Kashima supporters into a frenzy with a header after a cross from Marquinhos.
The Warriors had a glorious opportunity to pull a goal back when they were awarded a penalty after Park Tae Won was pulled down by Uchida in the 56th minute. However, captain Aleksandar Duric's effort was pushed away by Sogahata.
Kashima's fourth came in the third minute of injury time when Warriors centreback Daniel Bennett, who had performed admirably except for this incident, steered Takeshi Aoki’s cross past Shahril.
SAFFC: Shahril Jantan (GK), Hafiz Osman (Kenji Arai 80th), Daniel Bennett, Razaleigh Khalik, Zulfadli Zainal Abidin, Masahiro Fukasawa, Therdsak Chaiman (Guntur Djafril 84th), Mustaqim Manzur, Ahmad Latiff, Park Tae Won (Shaiful Esah 68th), Aleksandar Duric (C)
Kashima: Hitoshi Sogahata (GK), Atsuto Uchida (Toru Araiba 66th), Daiki Iwamasa, Masahiko Inoha, Park Joo Ho, Mitsuo Ogasawara (C), Masashi Motoyama, Takeshi Aoki, Takuya Nozuma (Masuda Chikashi, 74th), Yuya Osako (Shinzo Koroki 78th), Marquinhos
Referee: Shamsuzzaman Tayeb Hasan (Bangladesh)
Crowd: 4,406
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