Warriors are Bull-dozed off first place

Ong Jiing Yih 
info@sleague.com  

Gombak United sit proudly at the top of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League standings, after a rip-roaring 3-1 win over reigning league champions SAFFC on Tuesday night.

Two goals from Ojimi Gabriel Obatola, one of them a penalty, and an emphatic finish from Kingsley Njoku completed a comeback victory that will have the Bulls faithful dreaming of glory this season, despite its early stage.

That was done despite Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin drawing first blood for the Warriors inside six minutes.

Sadly for Latiff he and his side could do little to stem the white-hot tide from their hosts from there on.

Though Gombak’s spirits were slightly dampened with forthcoming suspensions for Obatola, Jeremy Chiang and Shafuan Sutohmoh, who was sent off two minutes from time, head coach Darren Stewart was upbeat and keen to maintain his side’s focus for challenges ahead as he reflected on the thrilling win.

“We don’t want to get carried away with a long season ahead. It has been a great effort and a good team performance,” said the Australian.

The hosts began with Shafuan chosen ahead of Ridhwan Jamaludin in midfield, as John Wilkinson missed out with a rib fracture, paving way for Mustaqim Manzur’s return to the Warriors starting eleven. 

The visitors and reigning S.League champions conjured up the first attempt, as Therdsak Chaiman witnessed his freekick tipped over by the agile Fadhil Salim after just two minutes.

As the Bulls were apparently trying to find their feet, the away side stole a march on them and promptly went ahead after six minutes.

Japanese midfielder Masahiro Fukasawa flighted a clearance upfield and the ball subsequently fell kindly into the path of Latiff, who slalomed in between Bah Mamadou and Sevki Sha’ban to slot past Fadhil.

Shell-shocked, Gombak realised the size of their task and began to wake up from their slumber.

Had Obatola not miskicked at a crucial juncture when faced with Shahril Jantan in the box, he could have better tested the Warriors goalkeeper.

On eleven minutes, Emmanuel Emuejeraye set Njoku free down the right who crossed, only for Obatola to place his bullet header wide of the target.

Gombak continued their onslaught from that point onwards and kept Shahril on his toes, but with the home side still in a tangle defensively, the Warriors almost took advantage and added to their lead. 

A freekick from Therdsak had caused mayhem in the box, after which Daniel Bennett’s headed effort was somehow deflected away from goal in the confusion and cleared to safety.

The pendulum gradually swung from one end to the other, Njoku mesmerising Fukasawa before he turned past his man and flashing his snap shot wide of the mark on 22 minutes.

Then came the turning point of the match nine minutes later, when a foul was awarded to Gombak for a tangle between Shaiful Esah and Agu Casmir, leaving the former incensed.

There was nothing the national leftback could do to change the call, and once Obatola had been set free by a clever lay-off taken short by Jaslee Hatta, Gombak’s golden boy needed no second invitation to blast past Shahril and into the roof of the net for the equaliser.

Nerves began to fray for the visitors as the Bulls stamped their authority on the game.

After Goran Subara had attempted a lob that landed on top of the net, Casmir could have put his side in the driver’s seat a minute before the break, when he collected a loose ball off Bennett’s clearance, turned and shot into the base of the right-hand post.

Still the champions never let up as Duric gave the Bulls a scare with his toe-poke, but for Fadhil to foil him with a brilliant one-handed save.

The warning signs were still evident following the restart after Therdsak was set free by a combination of Duric and Latiff, but his rasping shot hovered wide of goal.

Tellingly, a few chinks in the armour began to surface in the Warriors side and Gombak were only too happy to exploit.

Seven minutes into the second half, Casmir began his run from deep and with no one in a blue shirt showing desire to close him down, he sprung the offside trap and set Njoku free on his way.

The Nigerian promptly picked his spot and netted a well-taken goal, leaving Shahril grasping at thin air. 

2-1 up and Gombak were coasting, and they added to their lead from the penalty spot not long after the hour mark.

An ill-considered backpass that was not adequately dealt with saw Shahril bring down the lurking Emuejeraye, who got caught in between Shaiful and him.

Shahril almost redeemed himself by tipping the ball onto the post, but his best was not good enough to keep out Obatola’s penalty.

The one-time national goalkeeper nearly became the subject of further embarrassment after he could not make sure of Njoku’s speculative effort from afar, flapping it out for a corner.

Even Shafuan was keen to have a go at him such was Gombak’s confidence, a great shot matched by a stupendous save from the SAFFC No.14.

By then a succession of goalscoring chances had already come and gone, the pick of the bunch being Duric’s smart shot that was deflected away from danger by an alert Sevki.

The major flashpoint of the game arrived two minutes from the end, and Shafuan was left to count the costs after a minor tussle with Therdsak.

Both went into the referee’s book - Shafuan for the second time after he had flung the ball onto the ground.

There was still time for a shot by substitute Zulfadli Zainal Abidin that narrowly missed the right post, and a miscued header by Duric summed up the night for the Warriors.

Head coach Richard Bok could do little to hide his dismay after the match, as he delivered a damning assessment of his charges.

“You won’t get anything when you don’t defend well. But although we created many chances we couldn’t convert them.

“Even if Gombak played to their strengths, the players have got to do their jobs and not gift them three goals from defensive errors,” added an enraged Bok.

“We need to tighten up and regroup for the matches ahead.”