Preview: Young Lions vs Balestier Khalsa

Young Lions to start life after Isa

W.Ng
info@sleague.com

A new chapter will begin for the Young Lions on Monday night, when they will march out for their match against Balestier Khalsa without Isa Halim.

The versatile midfielder, who had captained the team since late June last year, has confirmed his departure from the Jalan Besar-based outfit on completion of his national service liability on 9 April.

He will be returning to parent club Woodlands Wellington after spending the last 40 months with the Young Lions, although he has received offers from a number of other clubs.

The former captain speculates that either goalkeeper Hyrulnizam Juma’at or the impressive Obadin Aikhena will succeed him as team skipper.

Locked at six points apiece, Young Lions and Balestier find themselves in familiar territory at the bottom of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League, but so close are the sides in the bottom half of the table that a win of the right margin could catapult either of these teams well up the standings.

Balestier’s last outing against Woodlands Wellington went from bad to worse when first, skipper Jufri Taha’s own goal after just two minutes handed the Rams all the points, and then Ednardo Moura’s succession of cautions consigned the Tigers to playing more than 50 minutes of the game a man down.

With Chilean Julio Eduardo still out injured, the Tigers will have to play the match without two of their foreigners, and the Young Lions will be hoping to capitalise on their absences to snatch a win against a side that has failed to keep a clean sheet all season.

The task is easier said than done, though, given their dire lack of firepower so far.

So well-documented have the Young Lions’ attacking woes been this season that further discussion of the topic would border on the hackneyed, but the truth is that after eight games, the young side have the worst scoring record of the 12 teams that make up the S.League.

Terry Pathmanathan will no doubt be looking to new Chinese striker Yang Mu to get off the mark, after he had fired blanks on his first two appearances.

The issue is a concern that remains close to Isa’s heart, as he revealed in his final interview as a member of the Young Lions prior to his departure.

The 22-year-old acknowledged that the match presents his former side a stellar opportunity to improve on their woeful goalscoring record this term.

“Unfortunately, the strikers have been unable to find their touches this season, but against a side like Balestier Khalsa, it is a good opportunity to show what they can do,” he said.

“A win is of course very important, but Balestier are also a very good team.

“They have shown they can play good football, and will also be eager to get the points.

“They are also a young team, so it will be a good match.”