Warriors keen on Shanghai surprise
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
SAFFC are seeking a positive outcome for their final AFC Champions League Group G home game, as they brace for the visit of Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua at Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Warriors are already out of the running for the next phase of the competition, and have only pride to play for in their remaining fixtures.
Coach Richard Bok has urged on his men to do their best in front of the local supporters, even as he harbours hopes of producing a result.
“Qualifying for the ACL is already a huge achievement for us and the group stage has been a learning curve for everybody at the club,” he said.
“We did reasonably well and held our own in the last four games. I am very satisfied with their performance and fighting spirit displayed and want more of the same tomorrow.”
SAFFC have a greater incentive to do well on home soil, drawing on the encouraging performance they had back in Shanghai in their previous meeting in March.
Then, a ten-man Warriors side came close to earning a point at 1-1 for much of the game before Shanghai scored three goals in the last 20 minutes to deny them.
Also, the Chinese Super League runners-up have not travelled well in their present campaign. They have suffered two losses in Kashima and Suwon in the ACL and registered only two points in four away domestic league games.
The hosts can extend their opponents’ poor away record on Tuesday, but Bok refuses to get carried away with the prospect.
“Although Shanghai have not won any away game, they have a big and strong squad,” he noted.
His Shanghai counterpart Jia Xiuquan, on the other hand, emphasized on the must to win and was not keen to see a repeat of the close shave in their previous encounter.
“We have no choice but to win,” he admitted.
“SAFFC are the strongest Singapore side, boosted by several foreigners in the side. They do better at home than in away games.
“Although we won 4-1 then, the score did not show everything. Now we are adjusting our focus on the game tomorrow.
“It does not matter when we score but the outcome is the one that ultimately counts.”
Shanghai defender Chen Liang believed as long as they focused on their task and refused to be distracted by natural factors, obtaining three points would be within reach.
“As long as we give our all, winning should not be a problem,” he said.
“We need to seriously take one game at a time as we cannot predict what is going to happen next.
“While the weather is not advantageous for us, it cannot be used as an excuse for not doing well or giving our best tomorrow.”
Shanghai head into their must-win clash with key midfielder Chen Tao highly doubtful after he aggravated his injury in their goalless draw at Beijing on Friday.
Influential defender Du Wei and Belarussian midfielder Vyacheslav Hleb are likely to start after recovering from serious injuries earlier in the season.
SAFFC midfielder John Wilkinson, who scored in Shanghai in the previous meeting, is suspended for the match after he received his second yellow card in the group stage at Kashima.
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