RHB Singapore Cup: Albirex triumph in Cup derby
Ong Jiing Yih
info@sleague.com
Albirex Niigata (Singapore) came out on top in the Jurong derby as they progressed into the RHB Singapore Cup quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Gombak United at Jurong East Stadium on Saturday evening.
The joy on the players’ faces were clear for all to see as the final whistle was blown, and not just because they had exacted revenge on their near neighbours, who had beaten them 3-0 earlier in a league fixture.
It was also the first time Albirex had passed the first stage in three years, having succumbed to Thai side Bangkok University not once but twice in previous seasons.
But they were made to earn a result in a match that had more than the average share of controversy and intrigue, before Kenji Adachihara, Keisuke Ogawa and late substitute Akira Takase clinched the win as Bah Mamadou claimed a consolation goal for the Bulls.
Gombak could have argued they deserved more on the evidence of the continued barrage they had launched into in the first half, but Albirex showed grit, resilience and boundless energy to get through the first half unscathed.
Darren Stewart certainly felt as much in his post-match analysis, putting on an upbeat front as he applauded the work his team had put in despite the dismissal of Jaslee Hatta late in the first half.
“Though we dominated the early part of the first half, it was hard to sustain our attacking quality once we went a man down,” remarked the Australian in reference to the red card.
“The lads created chances and showed tremendous effort. It would had been a problem had we not created any opportunities at all, but we had, so I can’t fault the boys.”
The match got off to an eventful start even before it had begun, as officials deemed goalkeeper Fadhil Salim’s top was too similar to the all-black ensemble Albirex had chosen for the tournament and ordered a change.
That delay however did not unnerve Gombak as Ojimi Gabriel Obatola went on one of his trademark forward runs, before firing a warm-up shot straight at Yoshito Matsushita in the first minute.
Undeterred, Ogawa went to the other end and almost carved out an opening, floating a well-intended freekick just beyond the reach of the onrushing duo of Adachihara and Tetsuya Kishida.
But calm, measured play stood Gombak in good stead and could have given them early bragging rights.
After Matsushita came to Albirex’s rescue by charging down close-range efforts by both Obatola and Agu Casmir in the space of three minutes, Emmanuel Emuejeraye raged in towards goal on the quarter-hour mark and saw the goalkeeper slightly off his line.
However, having taken on Casmir’s pass his attempted lob was too weak to trouble the impressive Matsushita.
All the same, the forceful start from Gombak had Albirex coach Naoki Naruo worried enough to make an early change, taking off regular fullback Shunsuke Sunaga and replacing him with new face Takeshi Miki.
The team responded positively to the change as Kishida contributed the first meaningful chance of the match on 27 minutes, mustering a turn and shot which rocked the crossbar via Fadhil’s outstretched hand.
After Ruhaizad Ismail slammed a powerful strike just over the bar, the match took on a sudden turn with Gombak on the receiving end of a harsh decision five minutes before the break.
Jaslee and Ogawa were in a tangle as they surged down the Albirex right, before the latter fell to the floor and the assistant referee waved to signal a severe infringement.
The Gombak fullback quickly claimed that his sleeve was tugged at, and referee Muhd Adzhar Adziz consulted his assistant before walking up to Ogawa, who was still down, and showed him the yellow card.
But that was not all as he then pulled out the red card and banished Jaslee to the showers for an alleged elbow on Ogawa, sending the Bulls fans into a rage that saw no end even after the final whistle.
Worse followed for the away side after Mamadou’s error of judgement in his own box on 54 minutes gave away the first goal of the match.
Sent clear by Taisuke Akiyoshi, Adachihara seized on a moment’s hesitation from the centreback, left him for dead and pumped in a crisp left-footed shot for a captain’s goal.
Gombak were stung into action but even with a direct approach yielding a series of corners and crosses, Albirex were in no mood to compromise.
The hosts got the rub of the green instead on 70 minutes, after Goran Subara tripped Ogawa in the box despite the presence of Sevki Sha’ban in the vicinity. The forward duly picked himself up to extend his side’s advantage from the spot, prompting another wave of angry jeering from the Gombak fans.
Albirex grew in confidence and after Akiyoshi and Adachihara went close, Takatoshi Uchida made a rare foray forward and headed a 74th-minute corner over the bar from close range.
All the fire of a derby game was present as Adachihara forced Fadhil into action with a speculative attempt moments afterwards.
But the visitors were given some glimmer of hope seven minutes from time, after Mamadou made the most of a goalmouth melee to poke the ball past Matsushita to make it 2-1.
Suddenly it looked like the Bulls could be back in it, but in truth that was as good as it got for them, with Albirex keen on getting the match-settling third goal.
Ogawa could have had the job done himself after he had received a fine delivery from Ken Matsumoto, but the forward somehow volleyed over an open goal when it would have been easier to score.
That did little to discourage Albirex, as late substitute Takase sealed the match with a brilliant freekick deep into added time.
Tactician Naruo expressed qualified contentment as he celebrated his side’s advance into the quarterfinals.
“We could have enhanced the content of our play, as Gombak worried us with their counterattacks, but I am happy we won,” he said after the match.
“We were nervous when they pulled one back, but whether against ten or eleven men we have good players who are able to attack and defend well.
“All in all, I am delighted with the result.”
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