Reds' first home win is Super-sweet

Fabius Chen
info@sleague.com

After three stalemates at Yishun Stadium this season, the Super Reds were clearly keen on three points from a home tie. That victory duly arrived on Tuesday night, made sweeter by the fact that it came against the Japanese side Albirex Niigata (S).

It was by no stretch of the imagination a classic encounter, with chances at a premium and the winning goal bundled in by such a fine margin that it took the sharp eyes of an assistant referee confirm that it had indeed crossed the line.

The home side started the brighter of the two, moving the ball around nicely and leaving the opposing players to chase shadows.

It took them just eight minutes to create their first real chance. Skipper Yu Kyun Koo’s free-kick was met with a glancing header by Kim Yoon Sik but his effort flew just wide of Yoshito Matsushita’s right-hand post.

The White Swans failed to heed this early warning and found themselves behind just seven minutes later.

A corner from the Super Reds right was rolled to Yu on the edge of the box. His shot was swerving but Matsushita will feel he could have done a lot better than to drop it at the feet of Park Kang Jin.

The forward had the simple task of prodding the ball into an empty net to put his side ahead.

Choi Dong Soo came close to doubling the Super Reds’ lead in the 27th minute, cutting in from the left wing and unleashing a stiff shot that the Albirex stopper did well to palm away.

Just four minutes later, the visitors found an equaliser that came entirely against the run of play.

In his side’s first meaningful attack of the game, Taisuke Akiyoshi’s cross was punched away by Super Reds goalkeeper Kang Su Ho but only as far as Shohei Doi, who was lurking just outside the penalty box.

He unselfishly headed the ball down for Shunsuke Sunaga, who made no mistake with a curling shot beyond Kang’s despairing dive.

Super Reds very nearly restored their lead immediately with a long ball out of defence that found Park Han Seok in space but Matsushita redeemed himself by stopping Park’s attempt at goal with his legs.

One goal apiece at the break and White Swans coach Naoki Naruo elected to make two changes despite the fairly-decent state of affairs for his side.

Off came Takatoshi Uchida and Doi, with Keisuke Ogawa and Ken Matsumoto on in their place.

Both substitutions were, as Naruo pointed out later, purely tactical.

“We wanted to play more down the flanks and send in more crosses,” he explained.

The plan never really came into fruition and the second-half saw the home side once again creating the better chances.

From a free-kick on the left, Yu drilled in a ball that caused all sorts of confusion in the White Swans defence but was eventually scrambled away.

The game’s decisive moment came on the hour mark, when Choi was sent clear through on goal. His first two attempts were somehow blocked by Albirex defenders but a third bite at the cherry finally reaped the rewards.

Matsushita got a hand to the ball and for a moment, all eyes in the stadium were fixed on the assistant referee at the far-end of the pitch.

He raised his flag to indicate a goal and the Super Reds were back in front, to the delight of the home supporters.

Choi’s goal signalled the beginning of 25 minutes of dour football, in which few chances were created, none of which caused either defence any serious worries.

Super Reds could have put the result beyond doubt with three minutes left on the clock, as Kim Tae Young’s header off Jeon Byung Euk’s free-kick flew into the Albirex net, only for the effort to be disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.

It was a decision that incensed Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon, who clearly felt that the goal should have stood.

“The score should have been 3-1. The referee appeared to give the goal, then changed his mind,” Jeon fumed after the game.

It could so easily have been 3-1 nonetheless; just a minute later, midfielder Jeon spotted Matsushita off his line and attempted a catch him out of position.

For the second time in the evening, the Albirex stopper’s legs came to his side’s rescue, as he somehow managed to shovel the ball to safety.

There was time for one final chance for the visitors to salvage a point. Once again, it came from a Kang punch that fell to a white-shirted Albirex player.

This time, however, Sunaga’s shot on the turn flew over the bar and with it, went the visitors’ hopes for a draw.

After the final whistle, Naruo expressed his frustration at his side’s inability to find a way through the Super Reds defence.

“We tried to pressurise their defence but simply could not penetrate them. We just didn’t have enough creativity in the attacking third,” he reflected.

“Looking at the goals we conceded, we didn’t have luck in the defence either, even though we defended well.”

He was honest enough in his assessment of his team’s performance to admit that “the Super Reds deserved to win.”

And it was an important win for the home side as well, according to coach Jeon.

“It is a precious victory for us as it’s our first home win of the season,” he said.

Jeon’s men have struggled to replicate the form that saw them finish in the runners-up spot last season but he was hopeful that this result would signify that his side had turned the corner.

He commented: “We prepare for every game but things don’t always go according to plan.

“In our first two home games, we didn’t play too badly but just couldn’t score but I think we can pick ourselves up and repeat last year’s performance.

“We have a good set of supporters who are behind us in every game and it is our duty to make them happy by winning games.”