Boris Kopitović of Tampines Rovers tries to get ahead of Keito Hariya of Albirex Niigata (S), 9 April 2022

 

SINGAPORE, 13 OCTOBER 2022 – With Albirex Niigata (S) crowned champions for a fifth time last weekend, the Lion City Sailors will look to put their disappointment behind them when they play Tanjong Pagar United away on Friday night. At the same time, Balestier Khalsa face a Geylang International side pushing for a top-half finish. On Saturday evening, champions Albirex Niigata play third-placed Tampines Rovers at Our Tampines Hub in the weekend’s headline fixture, while Hougang United face Young Lions at Jalan Besar Stadium. ALL LIVE on our YouTube channel and meWATCH!

 

READ: Matchweek 26 Roundup | SPL Express

 

Sailors aiming to snap losing streak
Tanjong Pagar United vs Lion City Sailors | 14 October | 7.45pm | Jurong East | Singtel Ch 111, Starhub 202

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Tanjong Pagar United – LDWWD
Lion City Sailors – WLLLL

 

Team news: Tanjong Pagar will be without Raihan Rahman who is nursing a knee injury and serving a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation, along with team-mates Rusyaidi Salime and Blake Ricciuto.

 

For the Sailors, Hariss Harun will serve the last of his two-match suspension for a direct red card in Matchweek 25, while Adam Swandi serves a one-game ban for yellow-card accumulation. Sailors defender Pedro Henrique remains ruled out, as is forward Amiruldin Asraf, while Zulqarnaen Suzliman is still not match fit. Goalkeeper Hassan Sunny is also a doubt for this fixture.

 

Facts

• The Sailors have lost four matches in a row for the first time since their inception.
• Luka Lalić’s men have won their last three meetings against Tanjong Pagar by 7-0, 6-0 and 6-1 score-lines.
• Tanjong Pagar can secure fourth place only with a win, provided Geylang fail to beat Balestier.
• Tanjong Pagar have never beaten the Sailors in all past eight meetings (seven losses, one draw)
• Tanjong Pagar have increased their expected goals (xG) tally from 1.43 per game last season to 1.62 this season.
• The Jaguars have become a more efficient team on the counter-attack with fewer attempted average passes (316) per game compared to last season (330).
• Maxime Lestienne has hit double-figures for the first time for both goals (13) and assists (23) in all competitions since 2013, when the Belgian was playing for Club Brugge (16 goals, 12 assists).

 

Eagles chasing top-half finish
Balestier Khalsa vs Geylang International | 14 October | 7.45pm | Toa Payoh | Singtel Ch 112, StarHub Ch 203

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Balestier Khalsa – LLLWD
Geylang International – WWLDD

 

Team news: Interim head coach Peter de Roo will continue to miss Amer Hakeem (foot). The duo of Ensar Bruncevic (medial collateral ligament) and Khalili Khalif (hamstring) are also ruled out. Delwinder Singh and Puvan Raj have recovered from illness and are available for selection.

 

Geylang defender Fadli Kamis (anterior cruciate ligament) is still ruled out, while goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam will miss this game with an ankle injury sustained last weekend. Midfielder Huzaifah Aziz will serve a one-match ban for his second red card of the season.

 

Facts

• Geylang have won four of the last five meetings.
• Geylang have yet to concede a second-half league goal between the 46^th to 55^th minute, while Balestier have scored seven goals during the same period.
• Geylang are one of three teams (Albirex and Tampines) yet to concede a goal from a direct free-kick this season.
• Ryoya Taniguchi has had the most total chances created (35), accurate key passes (20) and accurate crosses (14) for Balestier this season.

 

 

Kopitović vs Tanaka
Tampines Rovers vs Albirex Niigata (S) | 15 October | 5.30pm | Our Tampines Hub | Singtel Ch 111, StarHub Ch 202

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Tampines Rovers – WWWDW
Albirex Niigata (S) – WWWDW

 

Team news: Marc Ryan Tan remains the only Tampines player ruled out with injury and National Service obligations. New signing Rezza Rezky could make his debut in this fixture.

 

For Albirex, attacker Fairoz Hasan and key left-back Daichi Omori are both ruled out for this match.

 

Facts

• Albirex are champions while Tampines are confirmed to be third place.
• Albirex are unbeaten in their last six league meetings (three wins, three draws).
• Tampines have the league’s highest average ball possession per game (59 per cent), ahead of both the Sailors (53 per cent) and Albirex (52 per cent).
• Both Boris Kopitović and Kodai Tanaka are tied on 31 goals apiece and chasing the league’s Top Scorer accolade.
• Kopitović and Tanaka have a xG of 23 and 20 respectively.
• The Top Scorer award was split amongst two players for the only time in the league’s history in 2013 – Tampines Rovers’ Aleksandar Đurić and Woodlands Wellington’s Moon Soon-Ho bagged 15 goals each.

 

Cheetahs’ fading top-four hopes
Young Lions vs Hougang United | 15 October | 5.30pm | Jalan Besar | Singtel Ch 112, Starhub Ch 201

 

Team Form (last five league games):
Young Lions – LLLLD
Hougang United – LDWDL

 

Team news: Captain Jacob Mahler and forward Zikos Chua are both long-term absentees for Young Lions. Nor Hakim Redzuan is still sidelined with injury while defender Harhys Stewart is unavailable for selection after testing positive for Covid-19. Strikers Glenn Kweh and Abdul Rasaq have recovered from illness and injury respectively, and are both fit for selection.

 

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. Although defender Nazhiim Harman is suspended for two games due to his direct red card last weekend, the duo of Afiq Noor and Muhaimin Suhaimi will both return from suspension.

 

Facts

• Hougang have won four of the last five meetings, including all three matches this season.
• Hougang must win this match to keep their hopes of finishing in fourth-place alive.
• Young Lions finally snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 4-4 draw vs Balestier last weekend, but they have not won since a 4-2 victory over Tanjong Pagar in Matchweek 19.
• Young Lions (96) are seven goals away from matching the league record of the most goals conceded in a single season, set by Balestier Central (103) during a 33-match season in 2002.
• Shawal Anuar has averaged 0.88 key passes and 1.84 shots per game for Hougang this season, a big step up from last season’s tally of 0.58 key passes and 1.00 shots per game.

 

*All statistics powered by InStat

 

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