The Warriors' dreams of an unprecedented triple Double were dashed at the Bedok Stadium on 1 May when they lost 1-2 to Geylang United in the first round of the RHB Singapore Cup which was telecast live on Channel 5.
Like it was in the 1-2 defeat to DPMM FC in Brunei, the Warriors trailed 0-2 and scored a goal in the dying minutes through Therdsak Chaiman.
The Thai midfield maestro made amends for missing a penalty in the 63rd minute by scoring in the 90th off a close-range effort, but it was not enough to prevent the Warriors from making an early exit.
The Warriors started without John Wilkinson, who was serving a suspension carried over from the same competition last year, which meant that Mustaqim Manzur was handed a starting place.
Despite dominating the proceedings, the inabillity to put away the chances told in the end. The first attempt at goal came from Daniel Bennett whose header from a Shaiful Esah corner was stopped by Geylang custodian Yazid Yasin.
The Eagles took the lead in the 29th minute after youngster Yasir Hanapi received a cross from former Warriors captain Mohd Noor Ali. Yasir then feinted past Kenji Arai before driving it past Shahril Jantan for the opener.
The Warriors' next few scoring chances came from free kicks, but both Shaiful and Therdsak were unable to convert.
In the second half, it was the same story for the Warriors who conceded a second goal.
Left-winger Syed Thaha received the ball from Farhan Farook and continued his advance on the Warriors' goal before flicking the ball past Shahril.
Barely a minute later, the Warriors had the opportunity to pull one back after Ahmad Latiff was fouled by Baihakki Khaizan in the box. But Therdsak's conversion was nullified by Yazid.
The Warriors continued to come close to scoring, the closest came when Masahiro Fusakawa's long pass was missed by Yazid, Park Tae Won and Aleksandar Duric. The ball then bounced just past the post.
Therdsak's last-minute goal proved to be nothing more than mere consolation.
“They took their chances and we didn’t,” was how Warriors' coach Richard Bok summed up the game.
“Although we are still a bit tired, like I said, they had two or three chances and they took it, and for us we didn’t, although we had plenty of chances. If you don’t score goals you don’t win.”
SAFFC: Shahril Jantan (GK), Hafiz Osman (Zulfadli Zainal Abidin 74th), Kenji Arai, Daniel Bennett, Shaiful Esah, Masahiro Fukasawa, Therdsak Chaiman, Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin, Mustaqim Manzur, Park Tae Won, Aleksandar Duric (C)
Subs not used: Toh Guo'an, Syed Karim, Guntur Djafril, Razaleigh Khalik
Referee: P Pandian
Crowd: 2,084
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