Hammond spot on as Bears left fuming
Ong Jiing Yih
info@sleague.com
Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon bemoaned a game-deciding penalty as his side went down 0-1 to Woodlands Wellington on Friday.
Daniel Hammond’s 54th-minute spot kick proved the difference as Woodlands triumphed at Jalan Besar.
“We are not sad or disappointed about the loss, rather (we are disappointed with) the match referee who didn’t see things properly nor knew when to make right decisions. It wasn’t a penalty,” said Jeon.
“With the rhythm of the game being cut off, the players were left discouraged. They are not yet calm at the moment, but we’ll try to control (their emotions) before the League Cup comes along.”
The penalty aside, Woodlands still had to work to preserve the victory at the other end, and the central defensive pairing of Hammond and Precious Emuejeraye repelled everything the Koreans could throw at them.
The first warning sign sounded after four minutes. Choi Dong Soo and his skipper Yu Hyun Koo played a one-two during a short corner, with the latter putting his snap-shot over Rezal Hassan’s crossbar.
Park Kang Jin then stole in unnoticed, almost exploiting the misunderstanding between Rezal and right-back Anaz Hadee.
As the Bears knocked the ball about with supreme confidence they forced as many as four corners already in the opening ten minutes.
One such came about after Kim Shin Yui seemed certain to latch onto Park Han Seok’s precise through ball, but Emuejeraye was in no mood to let slip.
Chances came in thick and fast, as Kim Tae Young popped out moments later to fire wide from 25 yards.
The Rams’ ambitions rarely extended beyond their half, but Kim Yoon Sik’s handball on the edge of the box gave Woodlands captain Azlan Alipah the chance to break the deadlock.
But Kang did not even move in his goal after Azlan’s freekick sailed inches off target.
Still it was the Super Reds who were patiently stitching play both through the middle and down the flanks, and Yu once again tested Rezal from range.
Woodlands were not keen to simply play second fiddle, however, and Mojtaba Tehranizadeh just failed to make clean contact off a 32nd-minute cross by Ismadi Mukhtar.
That was as good as it got for the hosts in an eventful first half, after veteran goalkeeper Rezal made his first important save to keep the scores level at the break.
A clumsy foul by Hammond on Park Kang Jin brought about the set piece which Yu looked set to bend in towards goal.
To his credit Rezal was equal to the task, reading the flight of the ball immaculately and touching it onto the post before it flew clear.
The second half saw the first change by the Koreans as Shin Dae Kyung came into the fray for Yun Bo Young, with them looking to build on their promising first-half showing.
But the departure of their half-fit talisman probably ceded the initiative to Woodlands, who attacked harder and gradually grew in stature.
On 50 minutes, good work by Tehranizadeh and Jamil Ali set up Azlan for the perfect opportunity to prise open Kang’s goal. But any hopes were diminished due to a lack of conviction on the shot.
The next minute then witnessed a piece of positive play by the energetic Ismadi, taking on Kim Shin Yui at the near post before flashing an effort that bounced just wide of goal.
As time passed, the defining moment of the match finally arrived in the 54th minute.
Tehranizadeh tumbled in the box, sandwiched between both Kim Yoon Sik and Park Chul Hyung after what seemed an innocuous coming together of bodies.
But to the Super Reds’ amazement, the linesman flagged and referee Zaid Hussein pointed to the spot.
Following a second attempt from the spot, Hammond sent Kang the wrong way to put Woodlands in the lead.
Having been under the cosh for much of the game until that point, Woodlands held the aces from then on and had the Reds on the rack.
But the away side refused to lie down, and after Lee Du Ri blasted his attempt skywards, Park Kang Jin spared Woodlands from embarrassment after failing to take proper aim, having chested down a Kim Tae Young cross.
The same player then drew a magnificent one-handed save from Rezal having found obscene amounts of space in the Woodlands box on 62 minutes.
Stout defending then saw the colossal Emuejeraye save the day with another crucial block.
Jalal was next to prove his worth to his team, standing between Choi and a headed goal as he cleared the ball off the line after 70 minutes.
Woodlands hung on grimly after another effort on goal saw Rezal cling onto Kim Yoon Sik’s diving header.
Unfortunately for the Bears, their cause was well and truly lost after a fatal lapse in the defence left them with ten men in the 83rd minute.
Shin failed to keep track of substitute midfielder Kamal Nasir, who seemed certain to run his way on goal, and as he stretched out a despairing arm to bring down the latter, the referee had no choice but to send him off for a professional foul.
The subsequent freekick saw Jalal pick his spot, but he sent the ball sailing harmlessly over the crossbar instead.
Try as Woodlands might to see out the four minutes of stoppages, they had to endure one last moment of discomfort after Choi swung his right foot and curled over from just inside the box.
Nenad Bacina was delighted with the win, against a Super Reds side which he pegged as the best in the S.League.
“First of all I’d like to congratulate the players including the bench. It is time for us to be lucky after recent games. The lads worked very hard and therefore deserved the win.
“The Koreans controlled for much of the game, and they tackled and passed perfectly. We couldn’t chase so we dropped back and waited for the counterattack," said the Croatian.
“A good thing to note was that we did not concede a goal, which is most important.”
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Albirex Niigata 3 Gombak United 3
Taken from ROAR
At the Jurong East Stadium, Albirex Niigata possess the ability to produce some of the most exhilarating, fast-paced, buccaneering brand of football in the S-League.
For 45 minutes yesterday though, that was sorely missing as the Japanese youngsters were bullied around the turf, particularly in their defensive third, by a freakishly physically-imposing Gombak United attack.
Just ten minutes elapsed when Gabriel Obatola hounded Ryota Kobayashi as the defender chased the ball facing his goal. With usual brusqueness, the league’s leading scorer somehow managed to get himself tangled with the Albirex number 26 inside the penalty box, and won a hotly-disputed penalty, which he dusted himself to dispatch with ease.
Five minutes later, Gombak doubled the lead.
Another of the Bulls’ ‘African Contingent’ Kingsley Njoku had sought treatment on the sidelines. Whatever injury he sustained, it didn’t seem to hamper him the moment ref P Pandian allowed him back in.
He displayed electric pace to sprint towards goal after seizing a loose pass, before firing a fearsome shot which was blocked by Kobayashi. The ball looped high in the air and Kobayashi looked to have had it shielded well for his goalkeeper to collect.
Njoku had other ideas though, springing himself over the defender to head it past Matsushita. It was an in-your-face, see-you-later, I-just-pwned-your-ass moment for the Nigerian, but credit has to be given to Kobayashi for upping his performance as the game wore on.
On 23 minutes, Akira Takase spun Sevki Sha’ban and fired a low shot past Fadhil Salim at his near post, and three minutes later, the Japanese side was unlucky not to be level after a diving header by Tetsuya Kishida bounced off the post and back into play.
As it was, ten minutes before the break, Obatola pounced on some hesitant defending by Ryuta Hayashi, and forced the right-back into colliding with his goalkeeper Matsushita. Singapore striker Agu Casmir swept up rebound.
3-1 up at half-time, top-of-the-league, there was no way Gombak was going to throw this game, I thought.
As I sat on the upper tiers of the home side’s stands at half-time, the only thing going through my mind was how this match could be billed as the ‘Jurong Derby’ despite one team hailing from Bukit Gombak and the other from Japan.
The coaching staff at Albirex, famed across Singapore for their meticulous and professional nature, must have poured a whole lot of caffeine into the team’s half-time sake, because the Japanese, thankfully, came out all guns blazing in the second half to make a contest of the tie.
Five minutes later, in an apparent message of “whatever-you-can-do-I-can-do-better” to Njoku, Ken Matsumoto leapt amazingly high to nod home a header. Unfortunately, in the process of his epic leap, he seemed to tweak his left hamstring, and his celebration constituted hobbling to the touchline for treatment.
From then on Albirex peppered Fadhil’s goal with shots – even big centre-half Takatoshi Uchida got in on the act – and the former Young Lions and Woodlands keeper did well to repel those that came his way.
In the 65th minute, he parried Takase’s effort away from goal and the ball was seemingly headed out for a corner. No-one told Kenji Adachihara though, as the Albirex top-scorer kept it in play and fired the equaliser from a tight angle into the roof of the net.
The White Swans kept up the pressure and deserved to win the game, but the elusive fourth goal would not come. The closest they came was when an 85th-minute freekick by Taisuke Akiyoshi that evaded a swathe of flying bodies to strike the upright.
Gombak coach Darren Stewart will be irritated to let a two-goal advantage slip, but will not be too perturbed by a point at a difficult venue. He will, however, be a bit worried at some of the scenes which took place as the clock ticked down.
Ten minutes from time, Ruhaizad Ismail lost the ball in his own half near the right flank. Feeling he was unfairly robbed of the ball, the talented but unrelentingly petulant winger threw a disgusted look at Pandian and turned away.
His team-mates managed to repel the ensuing attack out for a corner, but skipper Sevki was incensed at Ruhaizad’s attitude. The two headed towards each other in a menacing fashion and had to be separated by team-mates.
Maybe it was a ‘captain courageous’ moment by Sevki who was desperate not to concede a fourth, but it must represent something of a worry for Stewart, since his team’s charge up the table has been built on the solid foundation of unity and working hard for the team.
As an aside, I felt vindicated as the $6 spent on the ticket produced a goal per dollar. If that's not a good return rate, then I don't know what is.
For 45 minutes yesterday though, that was sorely missing as the Japanese youngsters were bullied around the turf, particularly in their defensive third, by a freakishly physically-imposing Gombak United attack.
Just ten minutes elapsed when Gabriel Obatola hounded Ryota Kobayashi as the defender chased the ball facing his goal. With usual brusqueness, the league’s leading scorer somehow managed to get himself tangled with the Albirex number 26 inside the penalty box, and won a hotly-disputed penalty, which he dusted himself to dispatch with ease.
Five minutes later, Gombak doubled the lead.
Another of the Bulls’ ‘African Contingent’ Kingsley Njoku had sought treatment on the sidelines. Whatever injury he sustained, it didn’t seem to hamper him the moment ref P Pandian allowed him back in.
He displayed electric pace to sprint towards goal after seizing a loose pass, before firing a fearsome shot which was blocked by Kobayashi. The ball looped high in the air and Kobayashi looked to have had it shielded well for his goalkeeper to collect.
Njoku had other ideas though, springing himself over the defender to head it past Matsushita. It was an in-your-face, see-you-later, I-just-pwned-your-ass moment for the Nigerian, but credit has to be given to Kobayashi for upping his performance as the game wore on.
On 23 minutes, Akira Takase spun Sevki Sha’ban and fired a low shot past Fadhil Salim at his near post, and three minutes later, the Japanese side was unlucky not to be level after a diving header by Tetsuya Kishida bounced off the post and back into play.
As it was, ten minutes before the break, Obatola pounced on some hesitant defending by Ryuta Hayashi, and forced the right-back into colliding with his goalkeeper Matsushita. Singapore striker Agu Casmir swept up rebound.
3-1 up at half-time, top-of-the-league, there was no way Gombak was going to throw this game, I thought.
As I sat on the upper tiers of the home side’s stands at half-time, the only thing going through my mind was how this match could be billed as the ‘Jurong Derby’ despite one team hailing from Bukit Gombak and the other from Japan.
The coaching staff at Albirex, famed across Singapore for their meticulous and professional nature, must have poured a whole lot of caffeine into the team’s half-time sake, because the Japanese, thankfully, came out all guns blazing in the second half to make a contest of the tie.
Five minutes later, in an apparent message of “whatever-you-can-do-I-can-do-better” to Njoku, Ken Matsumoto leapt amazingly high to nod home a header. Unfortunately, in the process of his epic leap, he seemed to tweak his left hamstring, and his celebration constituted hobbling to the touchline for treatment.
From then on Albirex peppered Fadhil’s goal with shots – even big centre-half Takatoshi Uchida got in on the act – and the former Young Lions and Woodlands keeper did well to repel those that came his way.
In the 65th minute, he parried Takase’s effort away from goal and the ball was seemingly headed out for a corner. No-one told Kenji Adachihara though, as the Albirex top-scorer kept it in play and fired the equaliser from a tight angle into the roof of the net.
The White Swans kept up the pressure and deserved to win the game, but the elusive fourth goal would not come. The closest they came was when an 85th-minute freekick by Taisuke Akiyoshi that evaded a swathe of flying bodies to strike the upright.
Gombak coach Darren Stewart will be irritated to let a two-goal advantage slip, but will not be too perturbed by a point at a difficult venue. He will, however, be a bit worried at some of the scenes which took place as the clock ticked down.
Ten minutes from time, Ruhaizad Ismail lost the ball in his own half near the right flank. Feeling he was unfairly robbed of the ball, the talented but unrelentingly petulant winger threw a disgusted look at Pandian and turned away.
His team-mates managed to repel the ensuing attack out for a corner, but skipper Sevki was incensed at Ruhaizad’s attitude. The two headed towards each other in a menacing fashion and had to be separated by team-mates.
Maybe it was a ‘captain courageous’ moment by Sevki who was desperate not to concede a fourth, but it must represent something of a worry for Stewart, since his team’s charge up the table has been built on the solid foundation of unity and working hard for the team.
As an aside, I felt vindicated as the $6 spent on the ticket produced a goal per dollar. If that's not a good return rate, then I don't know what is.
Iran and Kuwait kick off AYG tournament on 20 June
Asian Youth Games Singapore 2009 Football Draw
Group A Group B Group C Group D IR Iran Republic of Korea Malaysia Hong Kong Philippines P.R China DPR Korea Saudi Arabia Chinese Taipei Myanmar Thailand Lao PDR Kuwait Pakistan
Saturday, 20 June 2009
3pm
IR IRAN vs KUWAIT Meridian JC
REPUBLIC OF KOREA vs PAKISTAN Temasek Poly
5pm
PHILIPPINES vs CHINESE TAIPEI Meridian JC
P.R. CHINA vs MYANMAR Temasek Poly
NORTH KOREA vs THAILAND Victoria JC
SAUDI ARABIA vs LAO PDR Jurong JC
Monday, 22 June 2009
3pm
KUWAIT vs PHILIPPINES Meridian JC
MYANMAR vs REPUBLIC OF KOREA Temasek Poly
5pm
CHINESE TAIPEI vs I.R.IRAN Meridian JC
PAKISTAN vs P.R. CHINA Temasek Poly
MALAYSIA vs DPR KOREA Victoria JC
HONG KONG vs SAUDI ARABIA Jurong JC
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
3pm
I.R. IRAN vs PHILIPPINES Meridian JC
REPUBLIC OF KOREA vs P.R.CHINA Temasek Poly
5pm
CHINESE TAIPEI vs KUWAIT Meridian JC
MYANMAR vs PAKISTAN Temasek Poly
THAILAND vs MALAYSIA Victoria JC
LAO PDR vs HONG KONG Jurong JC
Winners of Group A, B, C, D qualify to final rds
Runner- Up Group A, B qualify to final rds
Runner-up Group C and D - Play off
Friday, 26 June 2009
Play-Off
5pm
Runner-up Group C vs Runner-up Group D Temasek Poly
Final Group Stage
| Group A | Group B |
| A1) Winner A | B1) Winner B |
| A2) Winner C | B2) Winner D |
| A3) Runner-up B | B3) Runner-up A |
| A4) Singapore | B4) Play-off Winner |
Saturday, 27 June 2009
5pm
A2 vs A3 Jalan Besar
7.30pm
SINGAPORE vs A1 Jalan Besar
Sunday, 28 June 2009
5pm
B1 vs B4 Jalan Besar
7.30pm
B2 v B3 Jalan Besar
Monday, 29 June 2009
4pm Jalan Besar
SINGAPORE vs A2
4pm
A3 vs A1 Temasek Poly
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
5pm
B4 vs B2 Jalan Besar
7.30pm
B3 vs B1 Jalan Besar
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
5pm
A1 vs A2 Jalan Besar
7.30pm
A3 vs SINGAPORE Jalan Besar
Thursday, 2 July 2009
5pm
B1 vs B2 Jalan Besar
7.30pm
B3 vs B4 Jalan Besar
Semi-Finals
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Semi-Finals 1, 5pm
Winner Gr A vs Runner Up Gr B Jalan Besar
Semi-Finals 2, 7.30pm
Winner Gr B vs Runner Up Gr A Jalan Besar
Monday, 6 July 2009
Third Place Play-Off
5pm
Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 Jalan Besar
Final
7.30pm
Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 Jalan Besar
Albirex Niigata vs Gombak United [3-3]
Honours even at high-tempo Jurong derby
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) and Gombak United served up a thrilling derby clash at Jurong East Stadium on Thursday evening, both sides settling for a point in a 3-3 draw.
The result might not have done much in terms of advancing either team’s aspirations, but it was otherwise an excellent night from both as they put their best faces forward to wow the crowds and provided a good showcase of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League.
Gombak had the better of the first half, Ojimi Gabriel Obatola and Kingsley Njoku scoring early on before Agu Casmir put them in what seemed a commanding position going into the half-time interval.
But the Japanese outfit, who had pulled a goal back in the first half through Akira Takase, rallied strongly in the second period and earned their share of the spoils through further goals from Ken Matsumoto and Kenji Adachihara.
Adachihara was one of three Albirex players returning from suspension, with creative midfielder Taisuke Akiyoshi and first-choice custodian Yoshito Matsushita also taking their places in the starting eleven.
They faced a Gombak side missing the rested Emmanuel Emuejeraye, as Thai midfielder Theerawekin Seehawong was rotated in to meet the four-foreigner quota.
The Bulls No.10 was a tigerish presence early on, getting into tackles and doing his best to keep up with the high-energy opening both teams were engaging in.
Not for nothing were the visitors known for their explosive brand of pressing football, and they used that to their advantage to race to a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.
A move involving Obatola and Casmir culminated in Njoku powering into the left side of the penalty area, before he fell into a heap under a challenge from Ryota Kobayashi.
Referee P. Pandian did not hesitate to point to the spot, and Obatola coolly converted the penalty with 12 minutes shown on the clock even though Matsushita had guessed right.
Six minutes later, Albirex were punished for some careless play as Njoku sprang in to dispossess a defender before storming more than 30 yards down the right flank.
His initial centre for Casmir was blocked by Kobayashi, but the ball spun high for the Nigerian to nod home emphatically from an impossible angle.
The ease with which the Avaya-J&J League Cup winners were slicing through the White Swans defence sent the Gombak fans into rapture, as they dreamed of a repeat of the 4-0 demolition job the players had performed on Monday.
But Albirex were no Young Lions, and they had their first response on 23 minutes when Takase pulled a goal back to make it 2-1.
It was straight and simple stuff from the 20-year-old, having stroked the ball low between Fadhil Salim and the near post after a one-two with a teammate had taken him wide to the right rather than dead centre.
It could have been 2-2 on 27 had Adachihara’s diving header gone in off the post rather than back into play having beaten Fadhil already, but Albirex showed that, mentally and technically, they were a fine match for the side they were hosting.
Tetsuya Kishida headed Keisuke Ogawa’s cross a touch off target shortly afterwards as they continued pressing at the Gombak defence, before Njoku played a cool through pass that Kobayashi completely misread, only for Casmir to fire his shot just wide of the post.
That miss marked the start of a new wave of attacks from the Bulls, as they used their physical strength well to force Albirex into mistakes they could exploit.
One such moment came on 34 minutes as Njoku got involved again, having picked up a ball that had gone from right to left before drawing two defenders with him on the periphery of the penalty area.
Ryuta Hayashi was helpless as he struggled to close down the Gombak striker, who got into a tangle with three Albirex players, and Casmir profited as he rushed in to claim the loose ball and stroke it into the net with Matsushita out of sight.
Obatola could have had the game dead and buried on 39 minutes had he focused more on his shot off an excellent Casmir cutback, but the prevailing thought at the time was that the Bulls were almost home and dry against an Albirex side showing signs of deflation.
‘Almost’ was not good enough to kill the Japanese side’s spirits though, and they came up with the perfect response just four minutes after the break.
Shunsuke Sunaga, who had replaced Hayashi following the latter’s part in the Casmir goal, whipped in a lob that had seemed routine enough, but Matsumoto rose highest among a cluster of five players to divert the ball beyond a surprised Fadhil.
The goal had no warning signs of any kind coming before it, yet that was exactly the kind of goal Gombak had difficulty guarding against, and it was particularly fine reward for Matsumoto, who was industriously running all over the Jurong East field.
Albirex showed new life in the way they moved about now, and that was a delight to see as they kept up their pace, quick thinking and full-bodied commitment to push Gombak.
The fans – all 1,587 of them – were in fine voice too as they cheered their heroes on, letting their hearts pump hard to the beat of the game.
And the beat went faster and faster as both sides threatened to score the sixth goal of the game. When it did on 64 minutes, it was the home side that got it for the leveller.
Takase’s initial shot was saved by Fadhil, and the ball appeared all set to roll out. But it was so slow that it stayed on the line towards the right instead of going out for a corner.
A quick-witted Adachihara immediately came in from the right flank to claim the ball, before blasting high into the roof of the net despite Fadhil recovering to cover the angle.
Fadhil stood strong to prevent Gombak from going behind just minutes afterwards when Akiyoshi was put through, and both teams worked hard in search for a win.
That it did not happen might have been an imperfection in the eyes of the partisans, but for any neutral, it was an absolute treat both sides had served up.
So generous, so continuous and so back-and-forth was the flow of the game that, perhaps, it deserved a better stage than a league context where the winning-is-everything mentality becomes an excuse for playing drably.
There was certainly nothing drab about the Jurong derby on this occasion, and the fans were appreciative of that as they applauded the two teams upon hearing the final whistle.
Fadhil: Game was good for the fans
Gombak United goalkeeper Fadhil Salim believed that fans who had turned up for their clash with Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) got their money’s worth of entertainment after both sides served up a 3-3 draw at Jurong East Stadium.
The match was an open affair for much of the time as both sides threw everything they had at each other, leading to what the 26-year-old regarded as a positive advertisement of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League.
“It was end-to-end stuff, and both teams played so well, either team could have won the game,” said Fadhil after the match.
“It was good football, definitely. It was a good showcase of the good things in this league: both teams giving their best, going all out, and it’s a good result for football.
“Yes, each of us let in three goals, but sometimes there will be some goals that any goalkeeper cannot prevent. That happens in football.
“Maybe some of the goals that happened tonight can be prevented, and we should go back and take a look so that we can prepare for the upcoming game. But take nothing away from this game; it was good football for the fans to watch.”
Bulls coach Darren Stewart saluted Albirex for their part in the pulsating encounter, graciously acknowledging the quality they had shown while congratulating his own charges for their work as well.
“Albirex were simply too good in the second half,” said the Australian without hesitation.
“You couldn’t say that we let them back into the game, they really worked for it. But that’s good stuff from them; I’m not disappointed about not winning, because both teams worked hard for this game.”
White Swans coach Naoki Naruo was more inclined to see the proverbial glass as half-empty, however, as he reflected on his team’s performance.
Revealing that the team had been working towards repeating their RHB Singapore Cup win over their near neighbours, he acknowledged there was work to be done to make the backline more impenetrable.
“We were playing to win, but we made it difficult for ourselves,” he said wryly.
“In the first half, we made too many mistakes and lost three goals, and we’re really disappointed with that. We were preparing for this game with a target not to let in any goals, so to lose three means we need to think about our preparations again.
“We showed in the second half that we can play, when we pushed forward and tried to find goals, so that is one good thing. But we need to think about our defending if we want to win games.”
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) and Gombak United served up a thrilling derby clash at Jurong East Stadium on Thursday evening, both sides settling for a point in a 3-3 draw.
The result might not have done much in terms of advancing either team’s aspirations, but it was otherwise an excellent night from both as they put their best faces forward to wow the crowds and provided a good showcase of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League.
Gombak had the better of the first half, Ojimi Gabriel Obatola and Kingsley Njoku scoring early on before Agu Casmir put them in what seemed a commanding position going into the half-time interval.
But the Japanese outfit, who had pulled a goal back in the first half through Akira Takase, rallied strongly in the second period and earned their share of the spoils through further goals from Ken Matsumoto and Kenji Adachihara.
Adachihara was one of three Albirex players returning from suspension, with creative midfielder Taisuke Akiyoshi and first-choice custodian Yoshito Matsushita also taking their places in the starting eleven.
They faced a Gombak side missing the rested Emmanuel Emuejeraye, as Thai midfielder Theerawekin Seehawong was rotated in to meet the four-foreigner quota.
The Bulls No.10 was a tigerish presence early on, getting into tackles and doing his best to keep up with the high-energy opening both teams were engaging in.
Not for nothing were the visitors known for their explosive brand of pressing football, and they used that to their advantage to race to a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.
A move involving Obatola and Casmir culminated in Njoku powering into the left side of the penalty area, before he fell into a heap under a challenge from Ryota Kobayashi.
Referee P. Pandian did not hesitate to point to the spot, and Obatola coolly converted the penalty with 12 minutes shown on the clock even though Matsushita had guessed right.
Six minutes later, Albirex were punished for some careless play as Njoku sprang in to dispossess a defender before storming more than 30 yards down the right flank.
His initial centre for Casmir was blocked by Kobayashi, but the ball spun high for the Nigerian to nod home emphatically from an impossible angle.
The ease with which the Avaya-J&J League Cup winners were slicing through the White Swans defence sent the Gombak fans into rapture, as they dreamed of a repeat of the 4-0 demolition job the players had performed on Monday.
But Albirex were no Young Lions, and they had their first response on 23 minutes when Takase pulled a goal back to make it 2-1.
It was straight and simple stuff from the 20-year-old, having stroked the ball low between Fadhil Salim and the near post after a one-two with a teammate had taken him wide to the right rather than dead centre.
It could have been 2-2 on 27 had Adachihara’s diving header gone in off the post rather than back into play having beaten Fadhil already, but Albirex showed that, mentally and technically, they were a fine match for the side they were hosting.
Tetsuya Kishida headed Keisuke Ogawa’s cross a touch off target shortly afterwards as they continued pressing at the Gombak defence, before Njoku played a cool through pass that Kobayashi completely misread, only for Casmir to fire his shot just wide of the post.
That miss marked the start of a new wave of attacks from the Bulls, as they used their physical strength well to force Albirex into mistakes they could exploit.
One such moment came on 34 minutes as Njoku got involved again, having picked up a ball that had gone from right to left before drawing two defenders with him on the periphery of the penalty area.
Ryuta Hayashi was helpless as he struggled to close down the Gombak striker, who got into a tangle with three Albirex players, and Casmir profited as he rushed in to claim the loose ball and stroke it into the net with Matsushita out of sight.
Obatola could have had the game dead and buried on 39 minutes had he focused more on his shot off an excellent Casmir cutback, but the prevailing thought at the time was that the Bulls were almost home and dry against an Albirex side showing signs of deflation.
‘Almost’ was not good enough to kill the Japanese side’s spirits though, and they came up with the perfect response just four minutes after the break.
Shunsuke Sunaga, who had replaced Hayashi following the latter’s part in the Casmir goal, whipped in a lob that had seemed routine enough, but Matsumoto rose highest among a cluster of five players to divert the ball beyond a surprised Fadhil.
The goal had no warning signs of any kind coming before it, yet that was exactly the kind of goal Gombak had difficulty guarding against, and it was particularly fine reward for Matsumoto, who was industriously running all over the Jurong East field.
Albirex showed new life in the way they moved about now, and that was a delight to see as they kept up their pace, quick thinking and full-bodied commitment to push Gombak.
The fans – all 1,587 of them – were in fine voice too as they cheered their heroes on, letting their hearts pump hard to the beat of the game.
And the beat went faster and faster as both sides threatened to score the sixth goal of the game. When it did on 64 minutes, it was the home side that got it for the leveller.
Takase’s initial shot was saved by Fadhil, and the ball appeared all set to roll out. But it was so slow that it stayed on the line towards the right instead of going out for a corner.
A quick-witted Adachihara immediately came in from the right flank to claim the ball, before blasting high into the roof of the net despite Fadhil recovering to cover the angle.
Fadhil stood strong to prevent Gombak from going behind just minutes afterwards when Akiyoshi was put through, and both teams worked hard in search for a win.
That it did not happen might have been an imperfection in the eyes of the partisans, but for any neutral, it was an absolute treat both sides had served up.
So generous, so continuous and so back-and-forth was the flow of the game that, perhaps, it deserved a better stage than a league context where the winning-is-everything mentality becomes an excuse for playing drably.
There was certainly nothing drab about the Jurong derby on this occasion, and the fans were appreciative of that as they applauded the two teams upon hearing the final whistle.
Fadhil: Game was good for the fans
Gombak United goalkeeper Fadhil Salim believed that fans who had turned up for their clash with Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) got their money’s worth of entertainment after both sides served up a 3-3 draw at Jurong East Stadium.
The match was an open affair for much of the time as both sides threw everything they had at each other, leading to what the 26-year-old regarded as a positive advertisement of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League.
“It was end-to-end stuff, and both teams played so well, either team could have won the game,” said Fadhil after the match.
“It was good football, definitely. It was a good showcase of the good things in this league: both teams giving their best, going all out, and it’s a good result for football.
“Yes, each of us let in three goals, but sometimes there will be some goals that any goalkeeper cannot prevent. That happens in football.
“Maybe some of the goals that happened tonight can be prevented, and we should go back and take a look so that we can prepare for the upcoming game. But take nothing away from this game; it was good football for the fans to watch.”
Bulls coach Darren Stewart saluted Albirex for their part in the pulsating encounter, graciously acknowledging the quality they had shown while congratulating his own charges for their work as well.
“Albirex were simply too good in the second half,” said the Australian without hesitation.
“You couldn’t say that we let them back into the game, they really worked for it. But that’s good stuff from them; I’m not disappointed about not winning, because both teams worked hard for this game.”
White Swans coach Naoki Naruo was more inclined to see the proverbial glass as half-empty, however, as he reflected on his team’s performance.
Revealing that the team had been working towards repeating their RHB Singapore Cup win over their near neighbours, he acknowledged there was work to be done to make the backline more impenetrable.
“We were playing to win, but we made it difficult for ourselves,” he said wryly.
“In the first half, we made too many mistakes and lost three goals, and we’re really disappointed with that. We were preparing for this game with a target not to let in any goals, so to lose three means we need to think about our preparations again.
“We showed in the second half that we can play, when we pushed forward and tried to find goals, so that is one good thing. But we need to think about our defending if we want to win games.”
Geylang United vs Sengkang Punggol [2-0]
Eagles celebrate Latiak’s first strike
Ong Jiing Yih
info@sleague.com
Miroslav Latiak scored his first goal of the season to inspire Geylang United to a 2-0 win over Sengkang Punggol at Bedok Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Slovakian scored the opener for the Eagles with a clinical finish on 66 minutes, before skipper Noor Ali ensured all three points went to the hosts with the killer second goal seven minutes from time.
It was their first win in the league since 16 April, when they had beaten Woodlands Wellington 2-0 to cap off a three-match winning run that had lifted the Eagles up the mid-table pack where they now stand.
But coach Mike Wong did not hesitate to admit afterwards that the win – their first in five league matches – concealed a below-par performance from his side.
“We did not play well to be honest,” he told sleague.com.
“As much as our central midfield failed to chase down enough second balls, both teams tried their best but none could really come up with the final product.
“I am pleased we got two goals in the end. But we were too cautious in the first half.
“Having lost three games before this, the boys became mentally worried, worried that it might turn out to be the same story had they conceded another goal. Only after they had kept things tight in the first half did we attack down the flanks more often in the second.”
Geylang definitely had an uneasy start against a Sengkang side that featured Mamadou Diallo in attack, while Azhar Baksin was handed only his second start for the Dolphins.
The veteran winger created the first serious chance of the match after just four minutes, playing a testing cross that Hiroyuki Yamamoto managed to get his head to but could not steer towards the Geylang goal.
But the promising start flattered to deceive as both sides proceeded to cancel each other out, to the frustration of the 1,682 fans who had turned up for this encounter.
Sengkang were the more willing side in the first half, and they nearly had the lead on 22 minutes when Azhar crashed a shot into the side-netting, having done the hard part of recovering an overhit cross by Murphy Wiredu.
The Eagles responded through their captain, who sent a goalbound free kick that drew the best out of Dolphins goalkeeper Joey Sim as he flew across to pull off a great save.
Jorg Steinebrunner, concerned that Geylang were getting back into the game, urged his players to press forward.
Jerry Bartholomeusz took the hint as he swept up the right flank, but his initial cross was pushed out by former Woodlands teammate Yazid Yasin, and the goalkeeper showed quick recovery skills to deny the unmarked Wiredu on the follow-up.
The Dolphins carried their momentum into the second half, leftback Zahid Ahmad finding Indra Sahdan Daud with a cross to the far post that the national skipper could only head straight into Yazid’s grasp.
Geylang were consistently on the back foot as their midfield struggled, Rastislav Belicak often looking alone as he had his hands full against Abdoulaye Diallo and former Eagles stalwart Noh Rahman.
Had Steinebrunner’s men made better use of that, they could have had a firm grip on proceedings. As it was, though, it was the home side who surprised everyone by pulling ahead on 66 minutes.
Latiak was the main man in the move, buying a yard off Aide Iskandar before beating Hiroyuki Yamamoto and finding the right spot to drill his low shot into the Sengkang net.
It was only the first goal this year from the Slovakian, who had managed seven last season for the Eagles, but it could not have come at a better time as they celebrated his strike.
The goal could have counted for nothing, though, as Geylang remained vulnerable in defence.
Baihakki Khaizan almost gave the victory away seven minutes from the end when he let national colleague Indra in on goal, but the former Home United star, armed with time and space to focus his shot, ended up hooking it wide.
Sensing the danger his team was in, Noor Ali stepped in to score the clincher within 60 seconds when they were awarded a free kick for a Yamamoto foul on substitute Ang Zhi Wei.
Syed Thaha, returning to the starting eleven from suspension, whipped in the free kick, and it was promptly met by the wide man, who had recently turned 34.
Yet the action was not quite finished without some kind of altercation, and unsurprisingly it was Bartholomeusz who got himself in the thick of the contretemps.
Oddly enough, though, his involvement drew a response from the normally-placid Yazid, who somehow took exception to what was going on and stormed all the way off his line to confront his former teammate at Woodlands.
Only the fine work of referee Abas Daud ensured things were broken up in orderly fashion, yet by then Steinebrunner was already chewing over an outcome he felt his team did not deserve.
“We were the better team,” opined the German as he cut a frustrated look.
“Even as the game seemed a little more even in the second half, Geylang did not create until after they had scored the first one. As the away team, we looked the more active and appeared more likely to score.
“Eventually it was about the slack marking in our penalty area. No one would have complained if the game finished 0-0, but in football, if you don’t score, you don’t win.”
Ong Jiing Yih
info@sleague.com
Miroslav Latiak scored his first goal of the season to inspire Geylang United to a 2-0 win over Sengkang Punggol at Bedok Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Slovakian scored the opener for the Eagles with a clinical finish on 66 minutes, before skipper Noor Ali ensured all three points went to the hosts with the killer second goal seven minutes from time.
It was their first win in the league since 16 April, when they had beaten Woodlands Wellington 2-0 to cap off a three-match winning run that had lifted the Eagles up the mid-table pack where they now stand.
But coach Mike Wong did not hesitate to admit afterwards that the win – their first in five league matches – concealed a below-par performance from his side.
“We did not play well to be honest,” he told sleague.com.
“As much as our central midfield failed to chase down enough second balls, both teams tried their best but none could really come up with the final product.
“I am pleased we got two goals in the end. But we were too cautious in the first half.
“Having lost three games before this, the boys became mentally worried, worried that it might turn out to be the same story had they conceded another goal. Only after they had kept things tight in the first half did we attack down the flanks more often in the second.”
Geylang definitely had an uneasy start against a Sengkang side that featured Mamadou Diallo in attack, while Azhar Baksin was handed only his second start for the Dolphins.
The veteran winger created the first serious chance of the match after just four minutes, playing a testing cross that Hiroyuki Yamamoto managed to get his head to but could not steer towards the Geylang goal.
But the promising start flattered to deceive as both sides proceeded to cancel each other out, to the frustration of the 1,682 fans who had turned up for this encounter.
Sengkang were the more willing side in the first half, and they nearly had the lead on 22 minutes when Azhar crashed a shot into the side-netting, having done the hard part of recovering an overhit cross by Murphy Wiredu.
The Eagles responded through their captain, who sent a goalbound free kick that drew the best out of Dolphins goalkeeper Joey Sim as he flew across to pull off a great save.
Jorg Steinebrunner, concerned that Geylang were getting back into the game, urged his players to press forward.
Jerry Bartholomeusz took the hint as he swept up the right flank, but his initial cross was pushed out by former Woodlands teammate Yazid Yasin, and the goalkeeper showed quick recovery skills to deny the unmarked Wiredu on the follow-up.
The Dolphins carried their momentum into the second half, leftback Zahid Ahmad finding Indra Sahdan Daud with a cross to the far post that the national skipper could only head straight into Yazid’s grasp.
Geylang were consistently on the back foot as their midfield struggled, Rastislav Belicak often looking alone as he had his hands full against Abdoulaye Diallo and former Eagles stalwart Noh Rahman.
Had Steinebrunner’s men made better use of that, they could have had a firm grip on proceedings. As it was, though, it was the home side who surprised everyone by pulling ahead on 66 minutes.
Latiak was the main man in the move, buying a yard off Aide Iskandar before beating Hiroyuki Yamamoto and finding the right spot to drill his low shot into the Sengkang net.
It was only the first goal this year from the Slovakian, who had managed seven last season for the Eagles, but it could not have come at a better time as they celebrated his strike.
The goal could have counted for nothing, though, as Geylang remained vulnerable in defence.
Baihakki Khaizan almost gave the victory away seven minutes from the end when he let national colleague Indra in on goal, but the former Home United star, armed with time and space to focus his shot, ended up hooking it wide.
Sensing the danger his team was in, Noor Ali stepped in to score the clincher within 60 seconds when they were awarded a free kick for a Yamamoto foul on substitute Ang Zhi Wei.
Syed Thaha, returning to the starting eleven from suspension, whipped in the free kick, and it was promptly met by the wide man, who had recently turned 34.
Yet the action was not quite finished without some kind of altercation, and unsurprisingly it was Bartholomeusz who got himself in the thick of the contretemps.
Oddly enough, though, his involvement drew a response from the normally-placid Yazid, who somehow took exception to what was going on and stormed all the way off his line to confront his former teammate at Woodlands.
Only the fine work of referee Abas Daud ensured things were broken up in orderly fashion, yet by then Steinebrunner was already chewing over an outcome he felt his team did not deserve.
“We were the better team,” opined the German as he cut a frustrated look.
“Even as the game seemed a little more even in the second half, Geylang did not create until after they had scored the first one. As the away team, we looked the more active and appeared more likely to score.
“Eventually it was about the slack marking in our penalty area. No one would have complained if the game finished 0-0, but in football, if you don’t score, you don’t win.”
Tampines Rovers vs Balestier Khalsa [1-0]
Gutsy Balestier lose to Alam Shah goal
Basil Yeo
info@sleague.com
Noh Alam Shah’s 27th-minute header was the solitary goal in a midweek S.League encounter that saw Tampines Rovers edge out a gutsy Balestier Khalsa side to take all three points.
Despite missing several regulars like Han Yiguang, Poh Yi Feng and Seth Galloway, the Tigers managed to take the game to their hosts and keep things close for the remainder of the game.
Seiji Kaneko was left on the bench for the home side due to a rib injury, which paved the way for a surprise start for Aliff Shafaein, despite Alam Shah and Shariff Abdul Samat returning from bans.
The Stags attacked freely straight from the first whistle, as Sutee Suksomkit’s early corner was punched out by Hafez Mawasi.
The job was not over for Hafez though, as Akihiro Nakamura sent the ball on a long punt back into the box for Fahrudin Mustafic, who took his time to control the ball but volleyed his effort straight into the former Rovers custodian.
Alam Shah attempted a take a leaf out of Shukor Zailan’s book from last week but failed as his shot from 40 metres out was no trouble for Hafez.
Qiu Li then managed to force a corner after surging into the box to direct the ball off the byline and out off Jufri Taha’s body.
However, the Stags were tested at the other end as Ram Shanker broke into the box and attempted a shot on goal, only for Hassan Sunny to place it out for a corner.
Bryan Soane also had two chances from set pieces, but both his headers were off the mark.
The Tigers handled an attack by their hosts well to force a corner, but they failed to guard the resulting delivery and allowed Alam Shah a free header into the goal from a superb inswinging effort from Sutee on the right.
That was on 27 minutes, and it sent the home fans into delightful cheers as they dreamed of more.
Balestier though had other ideas, as they kept on pushing at their opponents, believing attack to be the best form of defence.
Ram was a stunning revelation once again as he came through the defence unmarked and managed a well-taken shot on goal, but was denied once again by Hassan’s feet.
Aliff had his first attempt on goal late in the half as Mushthafa Kamal executed a disastrous clearance attempt from Sutee’s free kick, popping the ball into the path of the 27-year-old to allow him a free shot on goal that he should have put on target.
The hosts were unlucky not to increase their lead at the beginning of the second half, when Qiu’s cross on the right missed his target Alam Shah, only to fall into the path of Aliff on the far side.
The diminutive forward slammed his shot onto the underside of the upright, but was left in agony as the ball bounced out of the goal rather than into it to deny him.
There was a sparse run of chances for the Stags in the second half, when Tigers substitutes Anantha Rajan and Rhysh Roshan Rai were instrumental in their efforts to pressure the hosts, but Sutee managed to skin the outside of the near post with a 63rd-minute free kick.
Ridhuan Muhammad should have increased the lead when presented with an easy chance in front of goal, after Aliff delivered a ball from the left, but he skewed his shot wide with an acrobatic aerial kick from close range.
Late substitute Ithamar Rangel tracked back to defend as the Stags launched a late onslaught for that elusive second goal, but their attempts yielded no results, and they had to be satisfied with the single-goal win at full time.
Balestier head coach Nasaruddin Jalil applauded his team’s efforts for the day, and was satisfied with their performance despite the loss.
“We showed what we can do, we are quite consistent, if we had a bit more luck maybe we could have gotten something from the game,” he said.
“If you look at the type of players they have, my boys did very well to close them down. We did not get outclassed or outplayed.
“We are quite satisfied even if we lost. Nobody wants to lose, but we have to be realistic given what they have. They have national players, but I only have National (brand) battery,” joked Nasaruddin.
“Performance-wise, I must give the credit to my players, but result-wise, we are not improving. The boys worked very hard against a good team. Put it this way, we lost to a better team. I am quite pleased even if the results don’t show.”
“They did not have star players but their players are all good boys, they have fighting spirit,” said Tampines’ head coach Vorawan Chitavanich of his opponents.
“We had a lot of chances but we only managed to score one. If we could have killed the game in the first half then it would have been easier for us.
“Today we didn’t play the same way as we did against Woodlands Wellington, where we were very smooth in the midfield,” he continued, describing his concerns over his team’s performance.
“This time the players could not do it because they put one man on each of our midfield players. They marked our players well and tried to use their fitness to beat us.”
Basil Yeo
info@sleague.com
Noh Alam Shah’s 27th-minute header was the solitary goal in a midweek S.League encounter that saw Tampines Rovers edge out a gutsy Balestier Khalsa side to take all three points.
Despite missing several regulars like Han Yiguang, Poh Yi Feng and Seth Galloway, the Tigers managed to take the game to their hosts and keep things close for the remainder of the game.
Seiji Kaneko was left on the bench for the home side due to a rib injury, which paved the way for a surprise start for Aliff Shafaein, despite Alam Shah and Shariff Abdul Samat returning from bans.
The Stags attacked freely straight from the first whistle, as Sutee Suksomkit’s early corner was punched out by Hafez Mawasi.
The job was not over for Hafez though, as Akihiro Nakamura sent the ball on a long punt back into the box for Fahrudin Mustafic, who took his time to control the ball but volleyed his effort straight into the former Rovers custodian.
Alam Shah attempted a take a leaf out of Shukor Zailan’s book from last week but failed as his shot from 40 metres out was no trouble for Hafez.
Qiu Li then managed to force a corner after surging into the box to direct the ball off the byline and out off Jufri Taha’s body.
However, the Stags were tested at the other end as Ram Shanker broke into the box and attempted a shot on goal, only for Hassan Sunny to place it out for a corner.
Bryan Soane also had two chances from set pieces, but both his headers were off the mark.
The Tigers handled an attack by their hosts well to force a corner, but they failed to guard the resulting delivery and allowed Alam Shah a free header into the goal from a superb inswinging effort from Sutee on the right.
That was on 27 minutes, and it sent the home fans into delightful cheers as they dreamed of more.
Balestier though had other ideas, as they kept on pushing at their opponents, believing attack to be the best form of defence.
Ram was a stunning revelation once again as he came through the defence unmarked and managed a well-taken shot on goal, but was denied once again by Hassan’s feet.
Aliff had his first attempt on goal late in the half as Mushthafa Kamal executed a disastrous clearance attempt from Sutee’s free kick, popping the ball into the path of the 27-year-old to allow him a free shot on goal that he should have put on target.
The hosts were unlucky not to increase their lead at the beginning of the second half, when Qiu’s cross on the right missed his target Alam Shah, only to fall into the path of Aliff on the far side.
The diminutive forward slammed his shot onto the underside of the upright, but was left in agony as the ball bounced out of the goal rather than into it to deny him.
There was a sparse run of chances for the Stags in the second half, when Tigers substitutes Anantha Rajan and Rhysh Roshan Rai were instrumental in their efforts to pressure the hosts, but Sutee managed to skin the outside of the near post with a 63rd-minute free kick.
Ridhuan Muhammad should have increased the lead when presented with an easy chance in front of goal, after Aliff delivered a ball from the left, but he skewed his shot wide with an acrobatic aerial kick from close range.
Late substitute Ithamar Rangel tracked back to defend as the Stags launched a late onslaught for that elusive second goal, but their attempts yielded no results, and they had to be satisfied with the single-goal win at full time.
Balestier head coach Nasaruddin Jalil applauded his team’s efforts for the day, and was satisfied with their performance despite the loss.
“We showed what we can do, we are quite consistent, if we had a bit more luck maybe we could have gotten something from the game,” he said.
“If you look at the type of players they have, my boys did very well to close them down. We did not get outclassed or outplayed.
“We are quite satisfied even if we lost. Nobody wants to lose, but we have to be realistic given what they have. They have national players, but I only have National (brand) battery,” joked Nasaruddin.
“Performance-wise, I must give the credit to my players, but result-wise, we are not improving. The boys worked very hard against a good team. Put it this way, we lost to a better team. I am quite pleased even if the results don’t show.”
“They did not have star players but their players are all good boys, they have fighting spirit,” said Tampines’ head coach Vorawan Chitavanich of his opponents.
“We had a lot of chances but we only managed to score one. If we could have killed the game in the first half then it would have been easier for us.
“Today we didn’t play the same way as we did against Woodlands Wellington, where we were very smooth in the midfield,” he continued, describing his concerns over his team’s performance.
“This time the players could not do it because they put one man on each of our midfield players. They marked our players well and tried to use their fitness to beat us.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Super Reds vs DPMM FC [0-0]
| Dominance unrewarded as Super Reds held Gary Koh info@sleague.com An in-form Super Reds side saw their three-match winning streak come to a halt as they were surprisingly held to a goalless draw by DPMM FC in their league encounter at Yishun on Tuesday evening. The result capped a frustrating night for the Koreans as they were dominant throughout and did everything right except finding the back of the net. Their inability to score meant they stayed fifth in the league standings while the visitors escaped with a barely-deserved point to remain third behind joint pacesetters SAFFC and Gombak United. The hosts came into the match seeking their fourth straight win as they looked to build on their winning momentum after a slow start to the season. They were without forward Park Kang Jin, who was serving his one-match ban after receiving two yellows in their 3-1 victory over Gombak last week. Meanwhile DPMM coach Vjeran Simunic made one minor tweak to his regular starting lineup as he sought to end a two-match losing run in Singapore. Former Super Reds star Oh Ddog Yi, making his first visit to Yishun since his transfer to his present employers in February, returned to form a three-man forward line with Algerian Abdel Hamid Berguiga and Shahrazen Said while midfielder Azwan Salleh was dropped to the bench. If it was to provide a repeat of their 2-1 win in Brunei back in March, the switch had limited effect for them as the Super Reds dominated the game from the first whistle. They came close to breaking the deadlock after just seven minutes, when Kim Tae Young freed Choi Dong Soo on the right, only for DPMM goalkeeper Wardun Yussof to rush out and clear before further damage could be done. Back Dae Hyuen was then denied by Bruneian centreback Yusof Salleh on 20 minutes after he was fed through the visiting defence by Yun Bo Young. He could have put his name on the scoresheet four minutes later when he dived towards skipper Yu Hyun Koo’s indirect free kick. His header was too high to trouble the visitors though. DPMM were often left chasing shadows as the Super Reds controlled possession and toyed with them all over the pitch. In the few forays they had on the other half, their crosses and passes into the final third rarely troubled the Koreans. The game had been billed as a match-up between last year’s top foreign side and the team seeking to replicate their results, but as the game unfolded, it became increasingly clear that it was a no-contest where that was concerned. As the Wasps struggled to cope with the hosts’ technical and tactical superiority, they resorted to the hard play they were reputed for, bringing down a red shirt at every opportunity in their bid to stop the juggernaut. Their efforts had referee Abdul Malik Bashir dish out five yellow cards to them in the first 45 minutes as the tension mounted rapidly between both sides. It was his decisive action to haul Yun away that prevented an all-out brawl in added time, when the Super Reds forward appeared to be close to coming to blows with Simunic after a harsh exchange of words that followed a foul near the DPMM bench. The half-time interval cooled tempers as fewer fouls and bookings were issued by the match official in the second half. As was the case in the first half, the Bears dominated the next 45 minutes, often camping in the DPMM half in search for the elusive goal. With each passing minute, the situation became more desperate for DPMM as they went into overdrive in defence with their last-ditch tackles, shirt-tugs and blocks to prevent the ball from entering the net. There was also very little productivity in attack to make Super Reds sweat. Oh endured a quiet outing in his return before he was substituted towards the end of the match. Yet for all their possession and creativity, the hosts just could not find the final touch to complete the good work they were showing from defence to attack. No Korean was present to punish Wardun just after the hour mark when the Brunei national custodian dropped a Park Chul Hyung left cross, allowing him to dive to catch the ball the second time before anyone could react in the box. Even when they had the chance to shoot past the tiring Bruneians, they scuffed them to the agony of the Yishun faithful. Yu epitomized the frustrating moments in attack when he blasted over a Kim Shin Yui pass in the box in the 68th minute. Substitute Song Wang Suk then saw his volley off Wardun’s poor punch blaze over and wide with less than three minutes to go. Further efforts from Park and Choi in injury time also went begging as they had to be content with a point. Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon felt his team’s main problem lay beyond their profligacy in goal. “It is not really about the shooting (that was the problem), but how they moved from the middle to the final third that was not always good,” he said. Apart from the weakness, he was pleased with what he saw in his men. “Tonight they really did well. They pushed hard and did what they had prepared for,” he added. “They showed they wanted to win, but perhaps they overdid it and pushed themselves too much.” Meanwhile, DPMM coach Simunic put on a strong front as he defended his team’s negative performance to hold for a draw. “I am very satisfied we got a point, it is like a win for us. My players have big marks from me because they worked hard to get the result like I wanted,” he said. “We respect Super Reds, they have much better quality than every other opponent in the league and some of the players, number 8 (Yu), number 10 (Kim Yoon Sik) and number 22 (Park Han Seok), all can play in Europe. They should try.” He then blasted the match officials for what he alleged as a plot to deny his side credit for their efforts. “The referee is 70 percent against us tonight. He gave us more yellow cards, more fouls, and was very bad,” he continued. “Last five games we are very unlucky against the referee. Maybe they have a bad day, but who knows what they were doing. “Maybe someday somebody can stop DPMM because we are up there, but here I don’t know who else can take points from us.” |
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tampines Rovers vs Balestier Khalsa
Tampines guard against complacency ahead of Tigers clash
Mohd Sham
info@sleague.com
Tampines Rovers will be wary of the pitfalls of complacency when they take on Balestier Khalsa on Wednesday evening.
The Stags perhaps underestimated Balestier, bottom of the table, when the two sides met nearly three months ago and dropped two vital points in a 1-1 draw after Ithamar Rangel equalised Seiji Kaneko’s opener.
Vorawan Chitavanich’s men are chasing the leading pack in the S.League and will be even more aware of Balestier’s threat after they held Home United 1-1 on the weekend.
“We cannot be overconfident when we face them and I think on the back of their minds, the players were thinking they (should have) won when we played them earlier on in the season,” said Tampines team manager Syed Faruk.
“But we can’t take them for granted and we know that Balestier will always give a thousand percent effort in every match.
“No disrespect to them, we know we have better quality players on paper but games are not won on paper but rather on the football pitch.”
“But nevertheless, we should be taking three points and that’s what we are aiming to do against them,” he added.
The former national midfielder has echoed the importance of garnering a win in order to keep up their pursuit of the leaders.
“It’s very important for us to get up a win and the draws earlier on in the season cost us points but now we are picking up,” said Faruk.
“We want to climb up the table and keep the pressure on our rivals so we must go out and play to win.”
After a less than solid start to the campaign which saw the 2004 and 2005 league champions muster three stalemates in their opening three matches, Faruk acknowledged the Stags are slowly but surely finding their rhythm which has culminated in their consolidation of their current fourth spot.
“I think all teams will take time to find their feet and over time, they will get generally better,” he said.
“For example, the Super Reds did not start the season so well as they had a whole new set of players but now they are showing their capabilities and I think the same has applied to us.”
Balestier tactician Nasaruddin Jalil maintained that his charges will take heart from their gutsy 1-1 draw with the Stags earlier in the season.
“We have tried to improve in certain areas and the second round of the season is always a good gauge for us in terms of improvement,” he said.
“For example, we lost to Home United 3-0 earlier in the season but then we drew 1-1 with them in our last match. We also drew 1-1 against Tampines so it’s definitely an encouraging sign for us.
“The performances and results are gradually improving for us and I’m quite happy with the progress made so far,” added Nasaruddin.
The Tigers chief admitted that Tampines will provide a stiff test of his side’s youthful credentials.
“Every team has improved but Tampines have good players such as (defender) Benoit Croissant, and they are getting goals so that’s something we have to worry about,” he added.
“They are the benchmark in terms of how much we want to improve and we want to show how well we can do against them.
“They have quality players and experienced internationals, but my players need to follow instructions and play to the level we can and try to restrict Tampines from playing their game.”
Mohd Sham
info@sleague.com
Tampines Rovers will be wary of the pitfalls of complacency when they take on Balestier Khalsa on Wednesday evening.
The Stags perhaps underestimated Balestier, bottom of the table, when the two sides met nearly three months ago and dropped two vital points in a 1-1 draw after Ithamar Rangel equalised Seiji Kaneko’s opener.
Vorawan Chitavanich’s men are chasing the leading pack in the S.League and will be even more aware of Balestier’s threat after they held Home United 1-1 on the weekend.
“We cannot be overconfident when we face them and I think on the back of their minds, the players were thinking they (should have) won when we played them earlier on in the season,” said Tampines team manager Syed Faruk.
“But we can’t take them for granted and we know that Balestier will always give a thousand percent effort in every match.
“No disrespect to them, we know we have better quality players on paper but games are not won on paper but rather on the football pitch.”
“But nevertheless, we should be taking three points and that’s what we are aiming to do against them,” he added.
The former national midfielder has echoed the importance of garnering a win in order to keep up their pursuit of the leaders.
“It’s very important for us to get up a win and the draws earlier on in the season cost us points but now we are picking up,” said Faruk.
“We want to climb up the table and keep the pressure on our rivals so we must go out and play to win.”
After a less than solid start to the campaign which saw the 2004 and 2005 league champions muster three stalemates in their opening three matches, Faruk acknowledged the Stags are slowly but surely finding their rhythm which has culminated in their consolidation of their current fourth spot.
“I think all teams will take time to find their feet and over time, they will get generally better,” he said.
“For example, the Super Reds did not start the season so well as they had a whole new set of players but now they are showing their capabilities and I think the same has applied to us.”
Balestier tactician Nasaruddin Jalil maintained that his charges will take heart from their gutsy 1-1 draw with the Stags earlier in the season.
“We have tried to improve in certain areas and the second round of the season is always a good gauge for us in terms of improvement,” he said.
“For example, we lost to Home United 3-0 earlier in the season but then we drew 1-1 with them in our last match. We also drew 1-1 against Tampines so it’s definitely an encouraging sign for us.
“The performances and results are gradually improving for us and I’m quite happy with the progress made so far,” added Nasaruddin.
The Tigers chief admitted that Tampines will provide a stiff test of his side’s youthful credentials.
“Every team has improved but Tampines have good players such as (defender) Benoit Croissant, and they are getting goals so that’s something we have to worry about,” he added.
“They are the benchmark in terms of how much we want to improve and we want to show how well we can do against them.
“They have quality players and experienced internationals, but my players need to follow instructions and play to the level we can and try to restrict Tampines from playing their game.”
Super Reds vs DPMM FC
Jeon looking for DPMM scalp
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
The fixture could not have come at a better time for in-form Super Reds as they host DPMM FC at Yishun in their league encounter on Tuesday evening.
It presents the ideal opportunity for last season’s runners-up to avenge their 2-1 loss against the same opponents in Bandar Seri Begawan.
After a slow start to the season, the Koreans have won their last three league games in a row to move up to their present fifth-spot placing.
The same could not be said for DPMM, who are now facing a reality check after a brilliant start to their debut league campaign.
Recent defeats to Home United and Woodlands Wellington in Singapore have cast doubts on the Bruneians’ ability to sustain their third position.
Save for the Home match where four regulars were suspended, their Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic has fielded virtually the same lineup in every game.
Even the battle to partner local striker Shahrazen Said has been won by Algerian forward Abdel Hamid Berguiga, ahead of former Super Reds ace Oh Ddog Yi.
Their tactical predictability does not surprise Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon, who has observed this trend in the league.
“Teams here generally often field the same best eleven players all the time as they do not have the squad depth,” he noted.
The former K-League stalwart is looking forward to his team extending their good run as they make up ground with the pacesetters.
“In football, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” he said.
“But tomorrow’s game is important for both sides, especially for us as we try to get the three points and avenge the loss in Brunei.
“It is very important for us to put full concentration into the game, plan and work hard to try to get a win.”
Among the DPMM players who are looking to correct their recent woeful performances includes Oh, who will be making his return to Yishun since the move to his present employers in pre-season.
While Jeon believes his former charge could impress against his former club as he did in Brunei, he sympathizes with the latter’s current predicament as an out-of-favour player in Simunic’s plans.
“Oh has good skill and technique, but sometimes he plays much more with his heart than his brain,” he said.
“I have previously coached him and I know what kind of person and player he is. Now it is his present coach’s turn to decide how best he can use him.”
Meanwhile he will not have Park Kang Jin available, after the forward was sent off in his side’s 3-1 over Gombak United in their last game.
With the Woodlands game three days after the fixture and four other Super Reds one yellow each away from an automatic one-match suspension, the last thing the coach needs is more enforced absences in his thin squad, and he will be asking them to keep their tempers in check to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
The fixture could not have come at a better time for in-form Super Reds as they host DPMM FC at Yishun in their league encounter on Tuesday evening.
It presents the ideal opportunity for last season’s runners-up to avenge their 2-1 loss against the same opponents in Bandar Seri Begawan.
After a slow start to the season, the Koreans have won their last three league games in a row to move up to their present fifth-spot placing.
The same could not be said for DPMM, who are now facing a reality check after a brilliant start to their debut league campaign.
Recent defeats to Home United and Woodlands Wellington in Singapore have cast doubts on the Bruneians’ ability to sustain their third position.
Save for the Home match where four regulars were suspended, their Croatian coach Vjeran Simunic has fielded virtually the same lineup in every game.
Even the battle to partner local striker Shahrazen Said has been won by Algerian forward Abdel Hamid Berguiga, ahead of former Super Reds ace Oh Ddog Yi.
Their tactical predictability does not surprise Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon, who has observed this trend in the league.
“Teams here generally often field the same best eleven players all the time as they do not have the squad depth,” he noted.
The former K-League stalwart is looking forward to his team extending their good run as they make up ground with the pacesetters.
“In football, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” he said.
“But tomorrow’s game is important for both sides, especially for us as we try to get the three points and avenge the loss in Brunei.
“It is very important for us to put full concentration into the game, plan and work hard to try to get a win.”
Among the DPMM players who are looking to correct their recent woeful performances includes Oh, who will be making his return to Yishun since the move to his present employers in pre-season.
While Jeon believes his former charge could impress against his former club as he did in Brunei, he sympathizes with the latter’s current predicament as an out-of-favour player in Simunic’s plans.
“Oh has good skill and technique, but sometimes he plays much more with his heart than his brain,” he said.
“I have previously coached him and I know what kind of person and player he is. Now it is his present coach’s turn to decide how best he can use him.”
Meanwhile he will not have Park Kang Jin available, after the forward was sent off in his side’s 3-1 over Gombak United in their last game.
With the Woodlands game three days after the fixture and four other Super Reds one yellow each away from an automatic one-match suspension, the last thing the coach needs is more enforced absences in his thin squad, and he will be asking them to keep their tempers in check to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Young Lions vs Gombak United [0-4]
| Four-midable Gombak rout Young Lions Fabius Chen info@sleague.com Gombak United drew level on points with defending champions SAFFC at the top of the Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League with a resounding 4-0 victory over the Young Lions at Jalan Besar Stadium. Two first-half penalties by league top-scorer Ojimi Gabriel Obatola came either side of an Agu Casmir strike to send the Bulls into the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead that the home side never looked like recovering from, despite a spirited second-half showing. The Young Lions, who have now lost four of their last five league matches, started out on the back foot but were dealing with the visitors’ attacks comfortably enough until the 24th minute. As a Gombak throw came in from the left, home side skipper Obadin Aikhena was penalised for a seemingly-innocuous push on Casmir as the two jostled for position in the Young Lions penalty box. Referee Zaid Hussein immediately pointed to the spot, in what Young Lions head coach Terry Pathmanathan felt was the defining moment of the match. “It didn’t deserve such a severe punishment,” he said after the final whistle. “That first penalty changed the game – the team just went down from there.” Obatola stepped up and coolly slotted the ball home, sending Young Lions goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud the wrong way. Things would go from bad to worse for the home side just two minutes later, as Obatola turned provider with an outrageous backheel that found Casmir in space in the box. The Singapore international found the back of the net with a confident finish past a diving Izwan to put his side firmly in the driver’s seat. There was no respite for the home side as a further three minutes on, Kingsley Njoku capitalised on a defensive mix-up between Afiq Yunos and Shahir Hamzah to win possession in the box and force the latter to bring him down. Once again, the referee awarded the penalty without hesitation, despite both defenders protesting that Njoku had dived. Obatola’s second spot-kick of the night was an exact carbon copy of his first, with the Nigerian forward placing the ball to the goalkeeper’s right and Izwan diving to his left. It was desperate times for the Young Lions and coach Pathmanathan was forced to bring midfielder Hariss Harun on for Fairoz Hasan with just half an hour of the match played. Gombak were on a roll, however, and very nearly added a fourth just before the break. Njoku was sent clear through but his shot from an angle sailed over Izwan’s goal. Whatever Pathmanathan said to his players at half-time seemed to work, as they came out for the second-half a transformed team. Just eight minutes after the restart, K. Sivaseshan made an enterprising run into the Gombak box, but his placed shot past Bulls goalkeeper Fadhil Salim rolled agonisingly past the post. Four minutes later, Sivaseshan rounded Fadhil and tapped the ball into an empty net, only to turn around and see the offside flag raised. The Young Lions went into the match as the league’s lowest scorers and it showed, as they failed to make the most of their chances in the second-half. A weak scuffed shot by Gabriel Quak Jun Yi left assistant coach V. Sundramoorthy an exasperated man up in the stands as the home side continued to dominate proceedings but find goals hard to come by. Even luck seemed to have deserted them. Sivaseshan’s shot on the turn left Fadhil stranded but came back off the foot of the post with 12 minutes to play. It was left to Njoku to show the home side how it’s done, embarking on a solo run and finishing emphatically past Izwan to put the icing on the cake for the visitors in the final minute. Bulls head coach Darren Stewart was understandably delighted with the result and waxed rhapsodic about his side’s showing. He commented: “It was a good all-round performance and I’m pleased with the boys. “We’ve been working on our work ethic since the start of the season but it’s something that gets overlooked in favour of attacking flair, which is always mentioned.” Stewart was reflecting on a particular incident that happened in the 80th minute, when defender Jeremy Chiang chased a clearance by his captain Sevki Sha’ban to prevent it going out for a throw-in. “The boys were desperate not to let the opposition pull a goal back,” he pointed out. He did, however, praise the Young Lions’ fighting spirit as they tried to recover in the second-half. “They really came into the game in the second-half and looked very dangerous. “We were lucky not to concede a goal,” he admitted. The Gombak coach also reserved special mention for Young Lions midfielder Hariss, who is back after a year on the sidelines with an injury. “He is an influential, quality player,” he stressed. Opposite number Pathmanathan agreed with Stewart’s assessment of his returning starlet. The ex-international said: “Hariss did well after coming on. I had planned to use him for only 30-40 minutes but our midfield was struggling.” Pathmanathan was also pleased with the way his team responded in the second period, despite their inability to pull a goal back. “We played much better in the second-half: we minimised our errors in defence and put pressure on our opponents,” he stated. “We have problems upfront, especially with Yang Mu out for the next five to six weeks but it is important for the players to go on working and preparing for the SEA Games.” Meanwhile, 18-year-old Hariss had no doubts about the work that has to be done before his side can improve. “It was a better performance in the second half but we can be better in the attacking third,” he said. “There’s definitely room for improvement.” The national team midfielder is still working his way back to full fitness after his lengthy lay-off and will look at this game as another step on his road to recovery. He pointed out: “I still have a psychological barrier to overcome and match fitness to rediscover.” His side will need him to achieve both goals sooner rather than later, if the words of their coach are anything to go by. When asked if Monday had been a tough day, Pathmanathan responded solemnly: “Every game is a tough day.” |
Monday, May 25, 2009
Fazrul signs up for Gombak revolution
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Gombak United’s powerful attacking line has been given a further boost, after it was confirmed that they have signed striker Fazrul Nawaz.
The Singapore international, who is close to fully recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, will be tied to the League Cup holders for the remainder of the year.
Fazrul had sustained the injury while playing for Geylang United in October last year, and had to miss out on Singapore’s AFF Suzuki Cup campaign last year as a result.
There was more bad news for the 24-year-old when contract negotiations with Geylang broke down in the off-season, but the frustration of being released by the club where he had started his professional career has now been replaced by relief at signing for Gombak.
Fazrul’s decision to sign comes more than two months after he had first trained with the Jurong West-based side, as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation programme done in collaboration with the national team’s fitness experts.
And as a gesture of the club’s commitment to helping him, his contract has been backdated to the day he had started doing his fitness work at Jurong West – an act that has earned the player’s respect.
“I’m really glad that I now have a club to help me start my season,” he told sleague.com.
“I thank the club, especially (chairman) John Yap and my coach Darren (Stewart), for helping me so much. This club has a record for coming in to help players when they are suffering, and I think that is good for the players.
“Due respect to Geylang, I felt it was sad that I could not get the same kind of help from them after everything I have given to the club. But I understand these things happen in football, and I’m glad other people were there for me.
“Gombak, together with Sengkang Punggol, were the first to offer to help me out, and I chose to come here because Darren is here. He was more than a coach to me when I was at Geylang, and I decided that I want to repay him for what he has done for me before.”
Fazrul also revealed that he had been wooed by other S.League clubs, which he did not identify, once it had become clear that his recovery had been going well.
By then, though, he was already impressed with Gombak’s surprise charge into the top three, and that had persuaded him to take up the challenge despite what was already a formidable array of attacking options at the club.
Apart from fellow Singapore striker Agu Casmir, the Bulls also enjoy the services of current league top-scorer Ojimi Gabriel Obatola, Kingsley Njoku and Emmanuel Emuejeraye as orthodox forwards.
Throw in Ruhaizad Ismail and Fazli Jaffar on the flanks, and the firepower Gombak have would frighten many people looking to make a comeback from injury.
But Fazrul, who has been a fixture in the Singapore squad since earning his first cap in 2005, was undaunted as he cast his sights on returning to action for club and country.
“When I started to recover, I had offers from some other clubs, including some big clubs,” he said.
“Of course, who wouldn’t think about playing for a big club? But then again, I have a debt of gratitude to Gombak I want to replay, and speaking to the players here, I can see that they feel good about doing well so far.
“I want to be part of this, and I am coming here not just to make up the numbers. I will fight for my place in this team; once I start to play, I will do whatever I can to help the team win the league.
“It will be a big challenge competing with so many good strikers, but first I want to focus on getting back to full fitness and getting my confidence back. It’s one step at a time for me, but I believe I can bounce back and fight for my place in the national team.”
The SEA Games bronze medallist’s decision to join Gombak has been greeted with enthusiasm by the players, including Nigerian striker Njoku.
The 22-year-old, who has scored three goals in eight appearances so far, was all smiles as he spoke of his new colleague, as he expressed confidence that all the strikers will see their fair share of action even with Fazrul’s introduction into the squad.
“All the players welcome Fazrul to the family,” said Njoku.
“I have played against him for the past two years now, and I think he is a very good player. He is strong, and he is fast, and he will be a big plus to the team now that he is with us.
“I used to confuse him for an African player, because he is as strong as we are. In fact, since we are so alike, the competition for playing places will be even bigger now.
“Everybody will have to buck up, but that is life. We cannot expect to play every game, and sometimes one of us will have to take a rest so that others who are fitter can play.”
Bulls coach Stewart too is looking forward to renewing his ties with the versatile Fazrul, who can play either at centre forward or out on the flanks.
Revealing that a date has yet to be set for the player to take his mandatory fitness test, known as the Beep Test, the Australian stressed that there are no plans on the club’s part to rush Fazrul into taking his test.
Stewart was nonetheless confident that things will eventually work out for both player and club.
“Fazrul’s trained with the club for a while, and for the future of the club, we thought he’s a tremendous asset,” he noted.
“He didn’t look in great shape at the start; honestly, he couldn’t walk when he first came to training! But he’s a real good lad, and he’s a lot stronger than when I first saw him back at Geylang.
“The club’s put a lot of faith in him and looked after him, and we don’t want to rush him back into action. He’s not bound by transfer regulations, so whenever he’s ready, he can register, but if the physio says he needs another month, we will wait for that extra month.
“It’ll be hard work keeping all the strikers happy when he’s ready to play, but that’s part of the job. He’s a natural goalscorer, and you can’t have enough of them!”
info@sleague.com
Gombak United’s powerful attacking line has been given a further boost, after it was confirmed that they have signed striker Fazrul Nawaz.
The Singapore international, who is close to fully recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, will be tied to the League Cup holders for the remainder of the year.
Fazrul had sustained the injury while playing for Geylang United in October last year, and had to miss out on Singapore’s AFF Suzuki Cup campaign last year as a result.
There was more bad news for the 24-year-old when contract negotiations with Geylang broke down in the off-season, but the frustration of being released by the club where he had started his professional career has now been replaced by relief at signing for Gombak.
Fazrul’s decision to sign comes more than two months after he had first trained with the Jurong West-based side, as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation programme done in collaboration with the national team’s fitness experts.
And as a gesture of the club’s commitment to helping him, his contract has been backdated to the day he had started doing his fitness work at Jurong West – an act that has earned the player’s respect.
“I’m really glad that I now have a club to help me start my season,” he told sleague.com.
“I thank the club, especially (chairman) John Yap and my coach Darren (Stewart), for helping me so much. This club has a record for coming in to help players when they are suffering, and I think that is good for the players.
“Due respect to Geylang, I felt it was sad that I could not get the same kind of help from them after everything I have given to the club. But I understand these things happen in football, and I’m glad other people were there for me.
“Gombak, together with Sengkang Punggol, were the first to offer to help me out, and I chose to come here because Darren is here. He was more than a coach to me when I was at Geylang, and I decided that I want to repay him for what he has done for me before.”
Fazrul also revealed that he had been wooed by other S.League clubs, which he did not identify, once it had become clear that his recovery had been going well.
By then, though, he was already impressed with Gombak’s surprise charge into the top three, and that had persuaded him to take up the challenge despite what was already a formidable array of attacking options at the club.
Apart from fellow Singapore striker Agu Casmir, the Bulls also enjoy the services of current league top-scorer Ojimi Gabriel Obatola, Kingsley Njoku and Emmanuel Emuejeraye as orthodox forwards.
Throw in Ruhaizad Ismail and Fazli Jaffar on the flanks, and the firepower Gombak have would frighten many people looking to make a comeback from injury.
But Fazrul, who has been a fixture in the Singapore squad since earning his first cap in 2005, was undaunted as he cast his sights on returning to action for club and country.
“When I started to recover, I had offers from some other clubs, including some big clubs,” he said.
“Of course, who wouldn’t think about playing for a big club? But then again, I have a debt of gratitude to Gombak I want to replay, and speaking to the players here, I can see that they feel good about doing well so far.
“I want to be part of this, and I am coming here not just to make up the numbers. I will fight for my place in this team; once I start to play, I will do whatever I can to help the team win the league.
“It will be a big challenge competing with so many good strikers, but first I want to focus on getting back to full fitness and getting my confidence back. It’s one step at a time for me, but I believe I can bounce back and fight for my place in the national team.”
The SEA Games bronze medallist’s decision to join Gombak has been greeted with enthusiasm by the players, including Nigerian striker Njoku.
The 22-year-old, who has scored three goals in eight appearances so far, was all smiles as he spoke of his new colleague, as he expressed confidence that all the strikers will see their fair share of action even with Fazrul’s introduction into the squad.
“All the players welcome Fazrul to the family,” said Njoku.
“I have played against him for the past two years now, and I think he is a very good player. He is strong, and he is fast, and he will be a big plus to the team now that he is with us.
“I used to confuse him for an African player, because he is as strong as we are. In fact, since we are so alike, the competition for playing places will be even bigger now.
“Everybody will have to buck up, but that is life. We cannot expect to play every game, and sometimes one of us will have to take a rest so that others who are fitter can play.”
Bulls coach Stewart too is looking forward to renewing his ties with the versatile Fazrul, who can play either at centre forward or out on the flanks.
Revealing that a date has yet to be set for the player to take his mandatory fitness test, known as the Beep Test, the Australian stressed that there are no plans on the club’s part to rush Fazrul into taking his test.
Stewart was nonetheless confident that things will eventually work out for both player and club.
“Fazrul’s trained with the club for a while, and for the future of the club, we thought he’s a tremendous asset,” he noted.
“He didn’t look in great shape at the start; honestly, he couldn’t walk when he first came to training! But he’s a real good lad, and he’s a lot stronger than when I first saw him back at Geylang.
“The club’s put a lot of faith in him and looked after him, and we don’t want to rush him back into action. He’s not bound by transfer regulations, so whenever he’s ready, he can register, but if the physio says he needs another month, we will wait for that extra month.
“It’ll be hard work keeping all the strikers happy when he’s ready to play, but that’s part of the job. He’s a natural goalscorer, and you can’t have enough of them!”
Young Lions vs Gombak United
| Young Lions aim to snap losing streak Fabius Chen info@sleague.com Second-from-bottom Young Lions face an uphill task if they are to avoid a fourth successive defeat in all competitions when second-placed Gombak United visit Jalan Besar Stadium on Monday. Terry Pathmanathan’s young side produced dismal performances in losses to Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Crown in the RHB Singapore Cup and Super Reds, 0-5, in their last Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League home game. Their latest defeat came at the hands of Brunei DPMM in Bandar Seri Begawan, although the 1-0 scoreline flattered the visitors and was thanks to an inspired display by goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud. The 18-year-old stopper will need to produce a similar display on Monday if the Young Lions are to get a result against a Gombak side which is looking to bounce back after going down to Super Reds in only their second loss of the season. Bulls head coach Darren Stewart was keen to take the result in his stride, insisting that he was delighted with the way his side has performed thus far in the league. “Look at any league in the world and you won’t find a team that does not get beaten; what matters, is how you recover after a loss,” he pointed out. “You have no God-given right to think that you’ll never get beaten.” The Australian added: “For now, we’ve exceeded all expectations. “There’s still a long way to go in the season but at the moment, we’re doing very, very well.” With a full-strength squad at his disposal, Stewart will be looking to Ojimi Gabriel Obatola, Agu Casmir and Kingsley Njoku to provide the goals at Jalan Besar, with the three accounting for 20 of Gombak’s 23 goals so far this season. It is a good thing for the home side, then, that their influential captain Obadin Aikhena will be back in the squad to face his former club after missing the DPMM game through suspension. The big defender from Nigeria has by far been the Young Lions’ stand-out performer of 2009 and is their top-scorer with four goals, a statistic that more than anything underlines their struggles up front. Also back in the reckoning for the Young Lions is national team midfielder Hariss Harun, who has spent the past year on the sidelines with an ankle injury. He played the first half of the national Under-23 side’s 0-3 friendly loss to their Malaysian counterparts on Thursday and his captain was eagerly awaiting his return to league action. “It’ll be a big boost for the team,” Obadin said. “But after being out for so long, he’ll need some time to find his feet.” The sides’ first meeting of the season was settled by a late Njoku goal, a defeat that the Young Lions skipper was determined to avenge. He commented: “The last time we played against Gombak, we lost due to our inexperience. “They are a good side but they won’t find it easy against us. The experience factor was one that the Gombak boss touched on as well, as he emphatised with his opposition’s position. Stewart said: “They’re a very young team, so you can’t expect them to perform well in every game.” In spite of this, Obadin was optimistic that Monday would see an improved Young Lions performance. “We’re going to have a good game,” he said confidently. |
Geylang United 0 SAFFC 3
Warriors sink Geylang to pull clear
Syahrom Sulaiman
info@sleague.com
SAFFC avenged their RHB Singapore Cup preliminary round exit at the hands of Geylang United when they defeated the Eagles 3-0 at Bedok Stadium in Sunday’s Great Eastern–YEO’S S.League game.
An early goal by Mustaqim Manzur and a brace from Aleksandar Duric was enough to see the Warriors steer three points clear of their second-placed rivals Gombak United in the standings.
For the Eagles though, they suffered their third league defeat on the trot.
Victory over the Warriors in the RHB Singapore Cup game on Labour Day seemed like a distant memory, but Eagles head coach Mike Wong wants to quickly correct the recent mistakes made by his side so that they can go on to their winning ways soon.
He said, “Their first goal came very early in the game and two more goals came from corners. To me, I felt that we could have done much better as a team to defend those situations.
“The players must understand that once the referee blows his whistle everyone must be alert to anticipate any type of situation. The same thing happened when we conceded the goals in our previous game against Albirex (Niigata FC(Singapore)).
“Once we conceded early against strong teams such as SAFFC it was going to be difficult after that. We had to change the game plan and nearing the end of the first half we managed to control the game but the second and third goals changed the complexion of the game,” Wong pointed out.
SAFFC were the quickest off the blocks to settle down.
Their incessant pressure paid off as early as the third minute when Mustaqim, receiving a long throw-in from right-back Hafiz Osman, took advantage of haphazard defending by the Eagles.
Thanks to Duric and Park Tae Won’s constant hassling, Mustaqim was not picked up by any defender and he coolly placed the ball past custodian Yazid Yasin within the six-yard area.
Missing the services of the suspended Baihakki Khaizan, the Eagles did not look steady at all at the back as the Warriors were constantly at their heels.
Winger Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin had a lot of joy on the right flank as he managed to go past Faizal Senin on numerous occasions to provide dangerous crosses to the middle.
However, the AFC Champions League exertions took its toll on the Warriors and the Eagles slowly took advantage of their opponents’ fatigue factor.
Rastislav Belicak and Noor Ali were at the heart of all the best moves the Eagles produced in the game.
One such move presented British striker Lloyd Butler the best chance to equalize for the Eagles.
In the 31st minute, Belicak passed the ball Noor Ali and the captain produced a peach of a cross to Butler in the middle.
Having escaped the attentions of defenders Kenji Arai and Razaleigh Khalik, Butler contrived to steer his header just over the crossbar from inside the six-yard area.
Such profligate finishing would only be punished by a top side like the Warriors and true enough, they doubled their advantage ten minutes after the interval.
The impressive Zulfadli Zainal Abidin, taking over left-back duties from Shaiful Esah who was rested for the game, produced a swerving corner kick which Yazid could not punch clear properly.
Duric imposed his 1.92-metre frame on the custodian and he was rewarded with the simplest of tap-ins after a lackadaisical effort by the Eagles’ defence to clear their lines properly.
The striker then put the icing on the cake twelve minutes from time when he overpowered defender Haruki Seto to reach substitute Syad Karim’s cross first and head the ball into goal.
Warriors head coach Richard Bok knew how important it was for his team to win the game against the Eagles.
He said, “It was definitely a hard-fought victory, especially when the match came after we travelled to Korea for the ACL (AFC Champions League) game.
“We settled down quickly but after a while Geylang United managed to have more possession of the ball. But we got the goals that we wanted and achieved our main objective – which was to come here and do a professional job so that we can get ahead from the rest of the teams in the league,” Bok commented.
Syahrom Sulaiman
info@sleague.com
SAFFC avenged their RHB Singapore Cup preliminary round exit at the hands of Geylang United when they defeated the Eagles 3-0 at Bedok Stadium in Sunday’s Great Eastern–YEO’S S.League game.
An early goal by Mustaqim Manzur and a brace from Aleksandar Duric was enough to see the Warriors steer three points clear of their second-placed rivals Gombak United in the standings.
For the Eagles though, they suffered their third league defeat on the trot.
Victory over the Warriors in the RHB Singapore Cup game on Labour Day seemed like a distant memory, but Eagles head coach Mike Wong wants to quickly correct the recent mistakes made by his side so that they can go on to their winning ways soon.
He said, “Their first goal came very early in the game and two more goals came from corners. To me, I felt that we could have done much better as a team to defend those situations.
“The players must understand that once the referee blows his whistle everyone must be alert to anticipate any type of situation. The same thing happened when we conceded the goals in our previous game against Albirex (Niigata FC(Singapore)).
“Once we conceded early against strong teams such as SAFFC it was going to be difficult after that. We had to change the game plan and nearing the end of the first half we managed to control the game but the second and third goals changed the complexion of the game,” Wong pointed out.
SAFFC were the quickest off the blocks to settle down.
Their incessant pressure paid off as early as the third minute when Mustaqim, receiving a long throw-in from right-back Hafiz Osman, took advantage of haphazard defending by the Eagles.
Thanks to Duric and Park Tae Won’s constant hassling, Mustaqim was not picked up by any defender and he coolly placed the ball past custodian Yazid Yasin within the six-yard area.
Missing the services of the suspended Baihakki Khaizan, the Eagles did not look steady at all at the back as the Warriors were constantly at their heels.
Winger Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin had a lot of joy on the right flank as he managed to go past Faizal Senin on numerous occasions to provide dangerous crosses to the middle.
However, the AFC Champions League exertions took its toll on the Warriors and the Eagles slowly took advantage of their opponents’ fatigue factor.
Rastislav Belicak and Noor Ali were at the heart of all the best moves the Eagles produced in the game.
One such move presented British striker Lloyd Butler the best chance to equalize for the Eagles.
In the 31st minute, Belicak passed the ball Noor Ali and the captain produced a peach of a cross to Butler in the middle.
Having escaped the attentions of defenders Kenji Arai and Razaleigh Khalik, Butler contrived to steer his header just over the crossbar from inside the six-yard area.
Such profligate finishing would only be punished by a top side like the Warriors and true enough, they doubled their advantage ten minutes after the interval.
The impressive Zulfadli Zainal Abidin, taking over left-back duties from Shaiful Esah who was rested for the game, produced a swerving corner kick which Yazid could not punch clear properly.
Duric imposed his 1.92-metre frame on the custodian and he was rewarded with the simplest of tap-ins after a lackadaisical effort by the Eagles’ defence to clear their lines properly.
The striker then put the icing on the cake twelve minutes from time when he overpowered defender Haruki Seto to reach substitute Syad Karim’s cross first and head the ball into goal.
Warriors head coach Richard Bok knew how important it was for his team to win the game against the Eagles.
He said, “It was definitely a hard-fought victory, especially when the match came after we travelled to Korea for the ACL (AFC Champions League) game.
“We settled down quickly but after a while Geylang United managed to have more possession of the ball. But we got the goals that we wanted and achieved our main objective – which was to come here and do a professional job so that we can get ahead from the rest of the teams in the league,” Bok commented.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Singapore youngsters succumb to Malaysians
Ong Jiing Yih
info@fas.org.sg
info@fas.org.sg
In the international friendly match played at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday evening, the Singapore Under-23 team succumbed to their counterparts from from the north, the Malaysian Under-23 team, 0-3.
Goals from Norshahrul Idlan in the 20th minute, Mohd Zaquan Adha from the penalty spot on 24 minutes and the clincher from substitute Farderin Kadir after 67 minutes sealed the match for of the visitors.
Despite the introduction of Fadhil Noh, Fairoz Hasan and Goh Swee Swee at half time, Singapore was only able to create a few chances which subsequently weren’t able to take advantage off.
Much work is needed in terms of looking for strikers and getting existing ones to convert their chances, a point not lost on Terry Pathmanathan, head coach of the Young Lions.
“We have a big problem in terms of attacking and even getting strikers to the Young Lions team, as it's an uphill task to look for one with instinctive play,” mentioned the one-time Singapore skipper.
“If the frontmen don't do better than they are at the moment it's going to be a big problem. As such we have to put in effort as coaches, to brush up the strikers.”
Despite having gathered for only days before their one and only training session on Wednesday, the young Malaysians led by coach K. Rajagobal, had little difficulty adjusting to conditions.
However, it was the hosts who made the brighter start. The first 120 seconds were all Singapore - Hariss Harun's incisive play found Geylang United starlet Yasir Hanapi, whose cross was cleared from danger by Mohd Amirulhadi.
It had been Hariss' first piece of action in nearly a year after injuring his knee and perhaps inspired by his presence the boys went on to force two corners in as many minutes.
Safuwan Baharudin from the National Football Academy Under-18 team, nearly gave the Singaporeans the lead only to see his header cleare off the line by Shahurain Abu Samah.
Once the Malaysian allayed the early pressure it was their turn to knock the ball about with confidence, against the Singapore side led by captain Isa Halim.
It was a sign of things to come, after both Mohd Fandi and left back Mohd Asraruddin missed their attempts on goal, a scuffed header and a cross-shot respectively.
The Malaysians eventually took the lead on 20 minutes through Norshahrul who started the move that eventually saw him finish it off.
An incisive run from the right flank, and a one-two with strike partner Zaquan saw him surge into the Singaporeans penalty area where he sidestepped goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud before netting a classy finish.
Things then took a turn for the worse after Norshahrul headed a through ball to Zaquan in the 24th minute.
The unfortunate Izwan in his desperation to safeguard his goal brought down the opposing forward and left referee Sukhbir Singh with little option but to point to the spot.
Up stepped Zaquan who dusted himself, fixed his eyes on the ball and sent Izwan the wrong way from the spot.
Balls were often won and lost in midfield and that almost presented the visitors with another chance to strike on goal, but for Norshahrul to drive well wide of the target.
With two-nil down and still a lot to play for Pathmanathan went on to make three attacking changes in a bid to pep up his side's attack.
That nearly provided instant dividends, and after Safuwan headed straight into the grasp of Nohd Nasril Nordin's grasp, Fadhil could have done better when faced with the goalkeeper in a perfect one-on-one situation.
The Young Lions forward fluffed the opportunity in the 52nd minute after an accurate cross by club teammate Hamqaamal Shah.
Despite showing better movement in the second half, Singapore was unable to make any breakthrough.
The third goal eventually arrived in the 67th minute after failure to stem the incoming blue tide, courtesy of another lost ball in midfield.
Afiq Yunos was turned way too easily at the edge of the box by Razali, who then found space to shoot goalwards. Izwan in his moment to save succeeded in diverting the ball into the path of Farderin, who knocked in the rebound into goal off his shin.
Though the away side still had one last chance to add onto their score, Khyril Muhymeen's hissed shot perhaps spared substitute goalkeeper Jasper Chan another moment of ingonimy seven minutes from the end.
Post match, a delighted Malaysian Under-23 coach Rajagobal spoke about his preparations and targets coming into this encounter.
“I didn't field my first eleven. The players are tired, having played in durations of 90 minutes in Super League and Premier League matches before gathering here.
“My objective was to see the players who had just formed the team. As a selection process, this match is a good test to look into character, playing responsibilities and the players' approach towards the game.”
The experienced tactician then shared his thoughts on the victory as well as his hopes for the South East Asian Games.
“We began the match a bit sloppy in terms of passing, but adapted to the situation after some time.
“We created chances especially in the second half, and even if we're surprise at the scoreline we could have got more goals.
“Overall I'm happy we've won the match with the right attitude. Now we shall take one game at a time, until the SEA Games draw comes out.”
Meanwhile, Singapore Under-23 and Young Lions tactician Pathmanathan looked back to the match, at the same time pleased to take positives out of the game.
“The boys did alright defensively but once they failed to put on pressure it's bound to be thrown back at them.
“I'll accept the fact where it's the first time the boys played together; the game is basically to see what they can do. It hadn't been easy to put out a team and expect a lot without training, but the performances of Safuwan and Nazrul (Ahmad Nazari) were good.
“Overall I feel we didn't do too badly, and the players could do with more coaching and guidance.”
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