Preview: Young Lions vs Super Reds

Determination and fighting spirit is key to Y Lions

Gerald Lee
info@sleague.com

The Young Lions take on their youthful counterparts, Super Reds, at the Jalan Besar Stadium in a match that looks set to be energetically charged for a full 90 minutes. The side with greater hunger and drive will get the valuable three points on hand.

Both sides head into the game after worrying defeats to foreign teams in the Singapore Cup: the Young Lions having gone down 0-2 to Cambodian side Phnom Penh Crown, and the Super Reds 2-4 to TTM Samut Sakhon of Thailand.

In terms of performance in the Great Eastern-YEO'S S. League however, the Koreans do seem to have a slight advantage, having won 1-0 at home against Home United FC in their last league fixture. The Young Lions, on the other hand, who held Woodlands Wellington to a 1-1 draw at the Jalan Besar Stadium merely 4 days ago, might be feeling the effects of a tight schedule, as coach Terry Pathmanathan expects a very physical game with lots of hard running.

“The Koreans are technically better than us,” warns the former Singapore international, “and because of the speed of their players they can be a very robust side.”

“However this is where we can match them; we need to stick to our game plan and stay tight at the back to deny them.”

This might sound worrying to Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon, his side having failed to score in two of their last four S-League matches. A heartening aspect of their game though is the solid defence - led by the impressive Kim Seong Kyu – that kept out the likes of Home United and succumbed to a mere 1-0 defeat against defending champions SAFFC.

A potential thorn in that strong Super Reds defence would be burly Chinese striker Yang Mu, whose physique and strength might be a cause for concern. With regards to the recent draw against Woodlands Wellington, coach Terry Pathmanathan commented, “Yang Mu actually played well and held his own against the more experienced Woodlands defenders. But we want him to contribute more in terms of holding the ball and getting his team-mates into the game.”

Another area where physique and strength could prove to be a problem for the Super Reds is set pieces. Nigerian centre-back Obadin Aikhena, who already has 4 goals to his name this season, will add to the Young Lions’ strong physical presence in the Super Reds penalty box.

Young Lions coach Terry Pathmanathan, however, refuses to count his chickens before they hatch; choosing to adopt a cautious approach, saying, “The two foreign teams in the S-League (referring to both the Super Reds and Albirex Niigata Singapore), being feeder squads for their respective teams at home, are extremely competitive.”

“They are disciplined and hardworking, and try to make things very difficult for their opponents. Having said that, we are an extremely young team ourselves, and have proven to be able to step up to the occasion and push our opponents to the maximum in every game.”

“As shown in the game against Woodlands, my boys fought hard and showed great character to come back from 0-1 down against a more experienced side. Against the Super Reds, we will be counting on the same determination and fighting spirit.”