Song Uiyoung of Lion City Sailors tries to get to the ball ahead of Jun Kobayashi of Albirex Niigata (S), 24 June 2022

 

SINGAPORE, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022 – With just three league games remaining, leaders Albirex Niigata (S) can seal the AIA Singapore Premier League (SPL) title champions with a win over the Lion City Sailors this Friday. The next evening, Tampines Rovers travel to Hougang United aiming to seal third place with a win, while Balestier Khalsa face Young Lions in a dead-rubber clash. To wrap up the weekend’s action, Geylang International and Tanjong Pagar United will battle it out for a fourth-spot finish on Sunday. ALL LIVE on our YouTube channel and meWATCH!

 

READ: Matchweek 25 Roundup | SPL Express

 

👑 Title 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 – will the race be over tomorrow night? #SPL @lioncitysailors vs @ALB_S_FC – LIVE from 7.15pm onwards at YouTube, meWATCH, Singtel Ch 111 and StarHub Ch 202! pic.twitter.com/3yMWJcGJN9

— Singapore Premier League (@SGPremierLeague) October 6, 2022

 

Do or Die for Sailors
Lion City Sailors vs Albirex Niigata (S) | 7 October | 7.45pm | Jalan Besar | Singtel Ch 111, StarHub 202

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Lion City Sailors – WWLLL
Albirex Niigata (S) – WWWWD 

 

Team news: Luka Lalić’s men will face an uphill task against the league leaders as key trio Kim Shin-Wook, Diego Lopes and Gabriel Quak are all major doubts and unlikely to feature. Hariss Harun will also serve the first of his two-match suspension for a direct red card last weekend, while defender Pedro Henrique remains ruled out due to injury. Forward Amiruldin Asraf is also on the treatment table, while Zulqarnaen Suzliman is still not match fit.

 

For Albirex, Yoshiki Matsuura is still sidelined but Shogo Toyomura is now available for selection. Fairoz Hasan is a minor concern but should be able to make the matchday squad.

 

Facts

• The Sailors have lost three matches in a row for the first time since their inception.
• Albirex can be officially crowned champions for a fifth time with a victory in this fixture.
• Albirex are unbeaten against the Sailors in the league with four wins and four draws apiece.
• Both teams have scored in all past eight league meetings.
• Albirex have had a significant increase in expected goals (xG) per game with 2.8 compared to last season’s 1.95.
• Albirex also have an average expected goals allowed (xGA) per game of 1.16, the lowest in the league.
• The Sailors have an average xGA of 1.46 this season.
• Kazuaki Yoshinaga’s men have scored a league-high eight goals from corners, while Luka Lalić’s men have only conceded a league-low one goal from corners.
• Defender Nur Adam Abdullah picked up his first assist of the season for the Sailors last weekend.

 

Stags can secure third place
Hougang United vs Tampines Rovers | 8 October | 5.30pm | Hougang | Singtel Ch 111, StarHub Ch 202

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Hougang United – WLDWD
Tampines Rovers – WWWWD

 

Team news: Head coach Clement Teo will have a fully-fit squad to select from other than Kaishu Yamazaki who will be absent due to disciplinary reasons. The duo of Afiq Noor and Muhaimin Suhaimi will both serve a one-game ban for yellow-card accumulation.

 

Tampines will welcome back captain Yasir Hanapi from suspension, but Marc Ryan Tan remains ruled out with injury.

 

Facts

• Tampines can confirm a third-place finish with a win in this match.
• Hougang have won four of the last five meetings.
• Traditionally a high-scoring fixture, an average of seven goals per game has been scored in the last five meetings (35).
• Hougang’s average ball possession percentage per game has risen from 47 per cent last season to 50 per cent this season.
• Tampines have had a 25 per cent increase in fouls committed per game (15) compared to last season (12).
• Taufik Suparno has committed the league’s highest number of fouls (60).
• Yasir Hanapi has picked up the most yellow cards of any player in the league (nine).
• Shawal Anuar has scored in each of Hougang’s three games against Tampines this season.

 

Tigers hunt second straight win
Young Lions vs Balestier Khalsa | 8 October | 5.30pm | Jalan Besar | Singtel Ch 112, StarHub Ch 201

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Young Lions – LLLLL
Balestier Khalsa – LLLLW

 

Team news: Captain Jacob Mahler remains absent for Young Lions. The trio of Arshad Shamim, Syahrul Sazali and Faizal Moritz will miss out due to National Service obligations. Forward Glenn Kweh and midfielder Elijah Lim are both doubts. Strikers Abdul Rasaq and Zikos Chua are sidelined with long-term injuries, and Nor Hakim Redzuan is also ruled out.

 

Interim head coach Peter de Roo will continue to miss Amer Hakeem (foot), Ensar Bruncevic (medial collateral ligament), Khalili Khalif (hamstring) and Naufal Azman (anterior cruciate ligament). Delwinder Singh and Puvan Raj are down with fever and are doubts.

 

Facts

• Balestier are confirmed as the seventh-place league finisher despite upsetting the Sailors last weekend.
• Balestier have won all three league meetings this season, but Young Lions were unbeaten in all three league meetings last season (two wins, one draw).
• Young Lions are on an eight-match losing streak.
• Both teams have only eight unique goal scorers this season, the lowest total in the league.
• Young Lions (402) have on average made 49 fewer passes than their opponents (451) per game this season.
• Ryoya Taniguchi netted his first professional career hat-trick for Balestier last weekend, taking his goal tally to eight for the season.

 

Battle for top-half finish
Geylang International vs Tanjong Pagar United | 9 October | 5.30pm | Our Tampines Hub | Singtel Ch 112, StarHub Ch 202

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Geylang International – WWWLD
Tanjong Pagar United – LLDWW

 

Team news: Mohd Noor Ali will have a fully fit squad except captain Fadli Kamis (anterior cruciate ligament).

 

Tanjong Pagar have a fully fit squad with no injuries or suspensions.

 

Facts

• Geylang have won three of the last five meetings.
• Tanjong Pagar have the least number of average offsides per game (2.0) compared to Geylang (3.3) who have the highest average number of offsides per game.
• Geylang failed to score for the first time last weekend since Matchweek 12, snapping a 12-match scoring streak.
• Reo Nishiguchi scored the only goal for Tanjong Pagar against Geylang this season in Matchweek 4.
• Vincent Bezecourt has two goals and four assists in his last five appearances for Geylang.

 

 

*All statistics powered by InStat

 

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