Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Previous wins count for nothing says Sivaji
HONG KONG - Home United coach PN Sivaji insisted his men will face a very different challenge in Tuesday’s last 16 clash with South China to the one they encountered when the two sides clashed in the 2008 AFC Cup.
The Singaporeans go into the game at Hong Kong Stadium as slight underdogs, a stark contrast to last season's group stages when they picked up two victories against the same opponents.
But South China have a new man at the helm in the form of Kim Pan-gon and he guided the Hong Kong outfit to top spot in Group F with an undefeated record.
“We managed to win both of our matches against them during the group stage last season but those results count for nothing now as they have a different set of foreign players,” Sivaji said.
“We’ve watched some of their games on video and what we can see is that they are direct side who play a compact game and work very hard as a unit. Some of those things were not evident when they played last season, at least not when they played against us.”
Defender Shahril Alias is suspended but skipper S. Subramani has recovered from a groin injury and is set to play.
However, Sivaji is conscious of the fact that his side has not had too much joy on their travels to date.
“We have not been good travellers this season as our only away win was against Valencia in the Maldives while we lost in Bangkok against PEA (Provincial Electricity Authority) and in Vietnam against Binh Duong, although both of them were quality sides of Champions League calibre,” he added.
“It will not be easy as this is a one-off game and they will have the home advantage. They have a perfect home record so far in this year’s AFC Cup and they will want to maintain that.”
South China coach Kim, on the other hand, believes Home remain dangerous opponents regardless of their away-day blues after they finished second in Group H, one point behind Binh Duong.
“Home United are a very good team, they have plenty of experience in AFC competitions over the last few years,” he said.
“I respect Home United, they don't concede many goals and they're strong on the counter attack. However, we found out their strengths and weaknesses in the group stages, so we will produce a good performance.”
Apart from the suspended Cha Siu Ki, Kim has a full squad to choose from and played down the forward's absence.
“It's not really a problem because we play as a team and we also have good cover, so we'll be fine.”
South China (Hong Kong) vs Home United
Sivaji urges Home to “show true mettle”
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Home United coach PN Sivaji has called on his side to give a clear illustration of their quality on Tuesday evening, when they take on South China of Hong Kong in the AFC Cup Round of 16.
The one-off clash at Hong Kong Stadium will decide which of the two teams will move on to the quarterfinals, which will be held in September.
Being part of the last eight is an experience Home are familiar with, having gone at least that far in three of the previous five editions of the tournament.
Playing in the Round of 16 is something new to them, though, as this stage was created this year as part of a wider revamp in all continental club tournaments run by the AFC.
The changes certainly had their impact as far as Home were concerned, as they were put through a Group H that also included Thailand’s Provincial Electric Authority and reigning Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong.
Finishing second in the group behind Binh Duong meant the Protectors were able to continue their Asian adventure this season, though, and Sivaji is planning to use the momentum from their earlier results to maintain their fine AFC Cup pedigree.
“I mentioned earlier in the season that this year’s competition is much stronger than before,” he told sleague.com in an interview from Hong Kong.
“The reason we have a Round of 16 now is because we have more teams, many coming from last year’s Asian Champions League. If we look at our performance in the group stage, understandably we struggled against the two teams who have been there before.
“We won one and lost one apiece against PEA and Binh Duong, so it is a tough competition. The fact that we have got into this round shows that we have the quality to go even beyond this level.
“Now, it is for the players who are picked on Tuesday to show their true mettle. It’s going to be very tough, but if we go in with everything we have in terms of confidence and quality, I’m sure we will achieve our target of reaching the quarterfinals.”
While South China will be familiar opponents for the Protectors after they had met in the AFC Cup group stage in 2008, there have been some changes since.
Previously bossed by former Portuguese star Jose Luis, they now have a Korean man in charge in the form of Kim Pan Gon, who is no stranger to Hong Kong football having played and coached for three different clubs in a four-year spell that had begun in 2000.
There are also changes to their playing personnel, with the arrival of Brazilian striker Carlos Eduardo ‘Cacá’ Ferrari the most notable development.
The 30-year-old came to Hong Kong in January after a lengthy spell playing in his homeland and Europe, counting Spanish clubs UD Salamanca, Albacete and Universidad Las Palmas among his former employers.
Cacá joins compatriots Tales Schutz and Sidraílson da Mata Ribeiro as the three foreigners registered by South China for the competition, meaning there is no place for their burly chief striker Detinho dos Santos.
Detinho had bagged 21 goals in all domestic competitions as the club won the Coolpoint Ventilation First Division title for the third time running, but was omitted in favour of Cacá and Schutz after an ineffective continental campaign last year.
Even without the 35-year-old, the Shaolin Temple – as they are sometimes known in Hong Kong – have enough firepower from their local ranks, having recruited several new faces from their domestic rivals.
Former Kitchee captain Chan Siu Ki is the club’s second top scorer this term with 19 goals in all local competitions, while Au Yeung Yiu Chung, signed last year upon the dissolution of his former club Workable FC, has also chipped in with nine to his name.
“It’s clear looking at the squad that after last year, they decided to get a few more local players into the team,” commented Sivaji on South China’s squad composition.
“In last year’s competition, they depended too much on the foreigners. It’s partially because in the Hong Kong league, they allow something like six or seven foreigners at one go, and that affects them considerably in the AFC Cup.
“This year, I hear there was a considered decision by the club to look at more local players and use them more in the local league. Taking this into account, and having watched some of their matches on DVDs, they look a little bit more potent than last year.
“They are much more organized in terms of getting their shape together, and in the games I saw, they play in many different formations. I really have no clue as to how they will approach the game against us, so we have to just concentrate on playing to our strengths.”
Home will be boosted by the likely return of Brazilian midfielder Peres de Oliveira, who had scored twice the last time the team had played in Hong Kong.
Oliveira had been rested for most of the Protectors’ League Cup campaign with a knee strain, but has been declared fit after the team’s first training session on Sunday evening.
The AFC Cup veteran’s return means Sivaji will have a full squad of 19 players to choose from, apart from versatile defender Shahril Alias, who is suspended.
Norikazu Murakami and Isa Halim, who were both signed after the close of the AFC Cup’s first registration deadline, are also not eligible for selection in this match, although both were part of the travelling party.
“We brought them, along with Shahril, because we will face Gombak (United) in the league on 27 June,” explained the Protectors coach.
“Leaving them alone in Singapore with no one to supervise them would not have been ideal, so we brought them along. The club has been really magnanimous to allow them to come too, so that they can be conditioned for the game against Gombak.
“Everyone trained today, in our first day here. Peres played against Woodlands with a strain on the knee, but he continued anyway, and he trained fully today.
“So I am pleased to report that we do not have any injury problems. Everyone should be available on Tuesday.”
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Home United coach PN Sivaji has called on his side to give a clear illustration of their quality on Tuesday evening, when they take on South China of Hong Kong in the AFC Cup Round of 16.
The one-off clash at Hong Kong Stadium will decide which of the two teams will move on to the quarterfinals, which will be held in September.
Being part of the last eight is an experience Home are familiar with, having gone at least that far in three of the previous five editions of the tournament.
Playing in the Round of 16 is something new to them, though, as this stage was created this year as part of a wider revamp in all continental club tournaments run by the AFC.
The changes certainly had their impact as far as Home were concerned, as they were put through a Group H that also included Thailand’s Provincial Electric Authority and reigning Vietnamese champions Becamex Binh Duong.
Finishing second in the group behind Binh Duong meant the Protectors were able to continue their Asian adventure this season, though, and Sivaji is planning to use the momentum from their earlier results to maintain their fine AFC Cup pedigree.
“I mentioned earlier in the season that this year’s competition is much stronger than before,” he told sleague.com in an interview from Hong Kong.
“The reason we have a Round of 16 now is because we have more teams, many coming from last year’s Asian Champions League. If we look at our performance in the group stage, understandably we struggled against the two teams who have been there before.
“We won one and lost one apiece against PEA and Binh Duong, so it is a tough competition. The fact that we have got into this round shows that we have the quality to go even beyond this level.
“Now, it is for the players who are picked on Tuesday to show their true mettle. It’s going to be very tough, but if we go in with everything we have in terms of confidence and quality, I’m sure we will achieve our target of reaching the quarterfinals.”
While South China will be familiar opponents for the Protectors after they had met in the AFC Cup group stage in 2008, there have been some changes since.
Previously bossed by former Portuguese star Jose Luis, they now have a Korean man in charge in the form of Kim Pan Gon, who is no stranger to Hong Kong football having played and coached for three different clubs in a four-year spell that had begun in 2000.
There are also changes to their playing personnel, with the arrival of Brazilian striker Carlos Eduardo ‘Cacá’ Ferrari the most notable development.
The 30-year-old came to Hong Kong in January after a lengthy spell playing in his homeland and Europe, counting Spanish clubs UD Salamanca, Albacete and Universidad Las Palmas among his former employers.
Cacá joins compatriots Tales Schutz and Sidraílson da Mata Ribeiro as the three foreigners registered by South China for the competition, meaning there is no place for their burly chief striker Detinho dos Santos.
Detinho had bagged 21 goals in all domestic competitions as the club won the Coolpoint Ventilation First Division title for the third time running, but was omitted in favour of Cacá and Schutz after an ineffective continental campaign last year.
Even without the 35-year-old, the Shaolin Temple – as they are sometimes known in Hong Kong – have enough firepower from their local ranks, having recruited several new faces from their domestic rivals.
Former Kitchee captain Chan Siu Ki is the club’s second top scorer this term with 19 goals in all local competitions, while Au Yeung Yiu Chung, signed last year upon the dissolution of his former club Workable FC, has also chipped in with nine to his name.
“It’s clear looking at the squad that after last year, they decided to get a few more local players into the team,” commented Sivaji on South China’s squad composition.
“In last year’s competition, they depended too much on the foreigners. It’s partially because in the Hong Kong league, they allow something like six or seven foreigners at one go, and that affects them considerably in the AFC Cup.
“This year, I hear there was a considered decision by the club to look at more local players and use them more in the local league. Taking this into account, and having watched some of their matches on DVDs, they look a little bit more potent than last year.
“They are much more organized in terms of getting their shape together, and in the games I saw, they play in many different formations. I really have no clue as to how they will approach the game against us, so we have to just concentrate on playing to our strengths.”
Home will be boosted by the likely return of Brazilian midfielder Peres de Oliveira, who had scored twice the last time the team had played in Hong Kong.
Oliveira had been rested for most of the Protectors’ League Cup campaign with a knee strain, but has been declared fit after the team’s first training session on Sunday evening.
The AFC Cup veteran’s return means Sivaji will have a full squad of 19 players to choose from, apart from versatile defender Shahril Alias, who is suspended.
Norikazu Murakami and Isa Halim, who were both signed after the close of the AFC Cup’s first registration deadline, are also not eligible for selection in this match, although both were part of the travelling party.
“We brought them, along with Shahril, because we will face Gombak (United) in the league on 27 June,” explained the Protectors coach.
“Leaving them alone in Singapore with no one to supervise them would not have been ideal, so we brought them along. The club has been really magnanimous to allow them to come too, so that they can be conditioned for the game against Gombak.
“Everyone trained today, in our first day here. Peres played against Woodlands with a strain on the knee, but he continued anyway, and he trained fully today.
“So I am pleased to report that we do not have any injury problems. Everyone should be available on Tuesday.”
Woodlands Wellington vs Albirex Niigata [0-1]
| Adachihara shows way against Rams Ong Jiing Yih info@sleague.com Kenji Adachihara illustrated the meaning of “leading from the front” as he scored to give Albirex Niigata (Singapore) a 1-0 victory at Woodlands Wellington on Monday evening. The White Swans skipper got the decisive goal 15 minutes into the match with an effort that had caught Woodlands goalkeeper Rezal Hassan off guard. With the win, Albirex were able to overtake their hosts and occupy eighth place in the S.League table, level on points with Geylang United but behind on goal difference. Adachiara donned the armband for the Japanese outfit, as senior centreback Takatoshi Uchida had to sit out of this match due to suspension. Uchida’s replacement for the match, Shota Matsuoka, did not have much trouble at the back against a Woodlands side that perhaps was still feeling the strains of their lengthy League Cup campaign, which had ended last week. Despite being widely expected to perform, the return of five regular starters did not appear to give them the lift they had expected, as they had few highlights in the match. Skipper Azlan Alipah’s overhit volley midway into the second half was one of the rare few moments worth remembering for the Rams. Still, head coach Nenad Bacina was positive in his assessment of his side’s efforts, even as he praised his opponents for their enterprising display. “To be honest, I had expected us not to perform having come through seven matches in 23 days,” remarked the Croatian. “It could be due to not just physical but mental fatigue. We had tried to refresh the lads prior to this game but it was difficult. “Nevertheless I’m impressed as we faced a very good attacking side in Albirex.” Very good the White Swans were indeed, coming out of the blocks early as they won several corners with their high-pressure brand of football. Rezal was forced into an acrobatic save with the match barely warmed up, after Akira Takase met Keisuke Ogawa’s cross with a header that took a significant bounce. They got their goal eventually on the quarter-hour mark, as Adachihara collected the ball from a teammate, took one touch and then fired a thunderous drive from 30 yards out. Even in his prime, Rezal might not have saved such a shot. He certainly could not this time around as Albirex went 1-0 up. It could have been 2-0 just one minute later, had Takase done better in finishing off a sizzling run following a quality pass from Shunsuke Sunaga. Albirex were clearly in control, though, pinning Woodlands back in their half without much resistance to speak of. Playmaker Taisuke Akiyoshi missed a chance to claim only his second goal of a season, when he blazed a shot over the bar from just inside the penalty area. It took some decent work from the Woodlands rearguard to keep the score close, Anaz Hadee hacking away an Adachihara cross before Rezal caught a Sunaga shot eight minutes before the interval. The nervy moments continued into the second half, Akiyoshi and Sunaga both getting opportunities. Ken Matsumoto then headed over an open goal to spurn another golden opportunity, although the midfielder did somewhat better by forcing Rezal into a near-post save later in the second period. Throughout the match, there were few reasons to worry about a Woodlands fightback as they seemed incapable of causing some real danger in the Albirex backline. Still, Naoki Naruo had his charges close out the match in a more conservative manner, a point he acknowledged in his post-match analysis. “We played a passing game which saw us foray more directly towards goal,” said the Albirex coach of his team’s early-game plan. “As we hoped for more goals, we were afraid of Woodlands coming back at us, hence we became a bit more cautious.” |
Monday, June 22, 2009
Match Statistics for Match 85 - Woodlands Wellington FC vs Albirex Niigata FC (S)
Match Statistics for Match 85 - Woodlands Wellington FC vs Albirex Niigata FC (S)
S.LEAGUE
22 Jun 09, 1945hrs, Woodlands Stadium
| SCORING SUMMARY (Full-Time Score) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodlands Wellington FC | Albirex Niigata FC (S) | ||
| Kenji Adachihara (16') | |||
| Woodlands Wellington FC | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Pos |
| 18 | Rezal Hassan | GK |
| 3 | Azlan Alipah (C) | DF |
| 4 | Precious Emuejeraye | DF |
| 5 | Daniel Hammond | DF |
| 6 | Anaz Hadee | DF |
| 19 | Syaiful Iskandar | DF |
| 2 | Jalal | MF |
| 7 | Ismadi Mukhtar | MF |
| 10 | Luis Eduardo Hicks | MF |
| 16 | Jamil Ali | MF |
| 14 | Mojtaba Tehranizadeh | FW |
| Woodlands Wellington FC Substitutes | ||
| 20 | Ahmadulhaq Che Omar | GK |
| 23 | Sim Li Ming | DF |
| 11 | Hasrin Jailani | MF |
| 12 | Asraf Rashid | MF |
| 13 | Kamal Nasir | MF |
| 9 | Zakaria Yousif | FW |
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Pos |
| 1 | Yoshito Matsushita | GK |
| 3 | Shota Matsuoka | DF |
| 26 | Ryota Kobayashi | DF |
| 6 | Kunihiro Honda | MF |
| 10 | Ken Matsumoto | MF |
| 11 | Shunsuke Sunaga | MF |
| 7 | Keisuke Ogawa | FW |
| 9 | Akira Takase | FW |
| 14 | Kenji Adachihara (C) | FW |
| 18 | Taisuke Akiyoshi | FW |
| 20 | Ryohei Maeda | FW |
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) Substitutes | ||
| 2 | Ryuta Hayashi | DF |
| 24 | Takeshi Miki | DF |
| 4 | Park Myung Eun | MF |
| 13 | Atsushi Shimono | MF |
| 15 | Shohei Doi | MF |
| 19 | Hiroto Takahashi | FW |
| 21 | Tetsuya Kishida | FW |
| Woodlands Wellington FC Substitutions | ||
| Asraf Rashid for Jalal (70') | ||
| Zakaria Yousif for Azlan Alipah (77') | ||
| Kamal Nasir for Luis Eduardo Hicks (90') |
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) Substitutions | ||
| Tetsuya Kishida for Akira Takase (81') | ||
| Atsushi Shimono for Ken Matsumoto (91') | ||
| Woodlands Wellington FC Yellow Cards | ||
| Name | Min | |
| Ismadi Mukhtar | 23 | |
| Woodlands Wellington FC Red Cards | ||
| None | ||
| Woodlands Wellington FC Coach | ||
| Nenad Bacina | ||
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) Yellow Cards | ||
| Name | Min | |
| None | ||
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) Red Cards | ||
| None | ||
| Albirex Niigata FC (S) Coach | ||
| Naoki Naruo | ||
| Match Officials | |
|---|---|
| Referee | T Aravinthan |
| Asst Referee 1 | Tang Yew Mun |
| Asst Referee 2 | Andrew Kee |
| Fourth Official | K Kalimuthu |
| Match Commissioner | Edward Silas |
| Match Attendance | 1,417 |
Woodlands Wellington vs Albirex Niigata
Woodlands veterans to return against Albirex
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
The league resumes action at Woodlands after the mid-season League Cup tournament when Woodlands Wellington host Albirex Niigata (Singapore) on Monday.
The home side will be coming into the game in high spirits after they prevailed against the odds to finish fourth in the recently-concluded competition.
The Rams would be looking to bring the boost and momentum from the cup competition into the league as they attempt to get their league form into gear.
With seven regulars benefiting from the breather they had in Friday’s third-place playoff, Woodlands coach Nenad Bacina would have more than half his starting lineup fresh against the recharged Japanese outfit.
The extra energy would be needed as they seek to avenge their 0-3 loss to the same opponents back at Jurong East early this season.
Former Singapore international Rezal Hassan will resume his duties in between the posts after he was rested on the bench on Friday.
English defender Daniel Hammond returns to partner a rejuvenated Precious Emuejeraye in central defence while Anaz Hadee and Syaiful Iskandar resume their positions as wingbacks.
Skipper Azlan Alipah will be pushed forward into his usual central midfield role alongside Chilean Luis Eduardo Hicks, with Jalal and Ismadi Mukhtar supporting them at each flank.
The only possible dilemma for Bacina to solve is whether to go for Egyptian forward Zakaria Yousif or Iranian striker Mojtaba Tehranizadeh to partner key player Jamil Ali upfront.
Neither foreign forward has been fully able to support the club top-scorer in attack so far, leaving the latter to single-handedly shoulder much of the burden of finding the goals against well-marshalled defences.
It could only get tougher for Woodlands as Albirex come into this match fully charged after their early elimination in the League Cup group stage.
The two-week break allowed White Swans coach Naoki Nauro to focus on getting his boys back into gear physically and tactically as a crowded league schedule beckons.
With only one suspension to worry about after Takatoshi Uchida collected his fourth yellow card of the season before the mid-season break, the Japanese are set to field what will be close to their strongest lineup as they look for a repeat of their victory on away ground.
The trio of Tetsuya Kishida, Akira Takase and Kenji Adachihara will be spearheading the attack as they look to rebuild their confidence in front of goal after a barren outing in the mid-season tournament.
Ryota Kobayashi will dictate the rearguard from his position in central defence while Ryohei Maeda anchors the midfield in front of the back four.
The team’s pace and passing game would be a challenge to Woodlands as they seek to ascend the league table in the midst of the mid-table chaos.
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
The league resumes action at Woodlands after the mid-season League Cup tournament when Woodlands Wellington host Albirex Niigata (Singapore) on Monday.
The home side will be coming into the game in high spirits after they prevailed against the odds to finish fourth in the recently-concluded competition.
The Rams would be looking to bring the boost and momentum from the cup competition into the league as they attempt to get their league form into gear.
With seven regulars benefiting from the breather they had in Friday’s third-place playoff, Woodlands coach Nenad Bacina would have more than half his starting lineup fresh against the recharged Japanese outfit.
The extra energy would be needed as they seek to avenge their 0-3 loss to the same opponents back at Jurong East early this season.
Former Singapore international Rezal Hassan will resume his duties in between the posts after he was rested on the bench on Friday.
English defender Daniel Hammond returns to partner a rejuvenated Precious Emuejeraye in central defence while Anaz Hadee and Syaiful Iskandar resume their positions as wingbacks.
Skipper Azlan Alipah will be pushed forward into his usual central midfield role alongside Chilean Luis Eduardo Hicks, with Jalal and Ismadi Mukhtar supporting them at each flank.
The only possible dilemma for Bacina to solve is whether to go for Egyptian forward Zakaria Yousif or Iranian striker Mojtaba Tehranizadeh to partner key player Jamil Ali upfront.
Neither foreign forward has been fully able to support the club top-scorer in attack so far, leaving the latter to single-handedly shoulder much of the burden of finding the goals against well-marshalled defences.
It could only get tougher for Woodlands as Albirex come into this match fully charged after their early elimination in the League Cup group stage.
The two-week break allowed White Swans coach Naoki Nauro to focus on getting his boys back into gear physically and tactically as a crowded league schedule beckons.
With only one suspension to worry about after Takatoshi Uchida collected his fourth yellow card of the season before the mid-season break, the Japanese are set to field what will be close to their strongest lineup as they look for a repeat of their victory on away ground.
The trio of Tetsuya Kishida, Akira Takase and Kenji Adachihara will be spearheading the attack as they look to rebuild their confidence in front of goal after a barren outing in the mid-season tournament.
Ryota Kobayashi will dictate the rearguard from his position in central defence while Ryohei Maeda anchors the midfield in front of the back four.
The team’s pace and passing game would be a challenge to Woodlands as they seek to ascend the league table in the midst of the mid-table chaos.
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