Brunei DPMM’s Andrey Voronkov celebrates scoring a goal against Lion City Sailors, 13 May 2023.

 

SINGAPORE, 13 JULY 2023 – The AIA Singapore Premier League title race took another twist with the Lion City Sailors dropping to third after a surprise defeat to Brunei DPMM, while Tampines Rovers took full advantage as they edged Tanjong Pagar United to go level on points with Albirex Niigata (S) at the summit. Elsewhere, Balestier Khalsa remained in fourth after defeating Young Lions and Hougang United climbed to sixth by beating Geylang International. We recap all the action below…

 

Sailors’ title hopes dented

Sailors 1-3 DPMM | Bishan | 11 July   

Adam Swandi 52’ | Azwan Ali Rahman 9’, Hakeme Yazid 34’, Ángel Martínez 65’

 

 

A defensive lapse led to Azwan Ali putting DPMM ahead and things got from bad to worse thereafter for the Sailors as Australian debutant Bailey Wright was sent off as VAR deemed him to have denied a clear goalscoring opportunity. Hakeme then ran half the length of the pitch to double the lead, before Adam Swandi nodded in Hafiz Nor’s deep cross to pull one back for the Sailors. However, Ángel Martínez then bundled home from close range to seal a famous win for DPMM.

Facts

• The Sailors suffered their first home defeat this season after nine matches at Bishan – this means there are no longer any more teams in 2023 with an unbeaten home record.
• The Sailors saw an 11-match unbeaten streak come to an end.
• DPMM are the only team alongside Tampines Rovers to take points off the Sailors twice this season.
• This is only the second match out of 18 this season that Sailors’ Maxime Lestienne failed to get a goal contribution in.

Sailors: Zharfan Rohaizad (GK), Hafiz Nor (Zulqarnaen Suzliman 82’), Lionel Tan, Bailey Wright, Nur Adam Abdullah, M. Anumanthan, Hami Syahin, Adam Swandi (Nur Muhammad Asis 82’), Maxime Lestienne, Diego Lopes (Hariss Harun 67’), Shawal Anuar (Richairo Živković 56’).

Unused subs: Adib Nur Hakim (GK), Rusyaidi Salime, Danish Qayyum, Haiqal Pashia, Bill Mamadou.

DPMM: Kristijan Naumovski (GK), Helmi Zambin, Hanif Hamir, Yura Indera Putera (Abdul Azizi Rahman 76’), Ángel Martínez, Najib Tarif (Awangku Fakharrazi 46’), Hanif Farhan, Farshad Noor, Andrey Voronkov, Hakeme Yazid (Nazirrudin Ismail 86’), Azwan Ali Rahman (C) (Hendra Azam 72’).

Unused subs: Haimie Nyaring (GK), Azwan Saleh, Syafiq Hilmi, Razimie Rammli.

Red Card – Bailey Wright (Sailors) 32’

 

Lion City Sailors’ Hariss Harun in action against Young Lions, 7 July 2023.

 

Stags up for title charge

Tampines 2-1 Tanjong Pagar | Our Tampines Hub | 11 July

Boris Kopitović pen. 72’, Faris Ramli 78’ | Syukri Bashir 73’

 

 

The game sprang into life after a tight opening 70 minutes with Kopitović converting from the spot to put Tampines ahead, before Syukri found an instant equaliser for the visitors as his opportunistic volley in the area evaded Syazwan Buhari at his near post. However, the Stags found a crucial winner thereafter with Faris collecting Yasir Hanapi’s gorgeous no-look pass before neatly finishing beyond the onrushing Kenji Rusydi to send the home fans wild.

Facts

• Tampines are unbeaten in their last nine matches since their only defeat of the season in a 3-2 reverse to Balestier in May 2023.
• Tanjong Pagar have now lost their last five matches – their worst run of form since a similar losing streak between July to August 2022.
• Six out of Kopitović’s 15 goals this season have come from the spot.
• Syukri has now exceeded his 2019 career-best of two goals with Young Lions.

Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK), Irfan Najeeb, Shuya Yamashita, Shah Shahiran, Glenn Kweh, Kyoga Nakamura, Saifullah Akbar (Taufik Suparno 66’), Yasir Hanapi (C) (Ryaan Sanizal 90’+3), Faris Ramli (Ryaan Sanizal 90’+2), Syed Firdaus Hassan (Joel Chew 77’), Boris Kopitović.

Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Rezza Rezky, Firdaus Kasman, Kegan Phang, Caelan Cheong, Adam Reefdy.

Tanjong Pagar: Kenji Rusydi (GK), Naqiuddin Eunos, Shakir Hamzah, Raihan Rahman, Faizal Roslan, Tajeli Salamat, Akram Azman (C) (Shahrin Saberin 86’), Azim Akbar (Febryan Putra 81’) Blake Ricciuto, Mirko Šugić, Syukri Bashir (Khairul Amri 81’).

Unused subs: Fashah Iskandar (GK), Khairul Hairie, Zulfadhmi Suzliman, Syed Akmal, Ahmad Dzulfaqar, Charlie Patrick Traynor.

 

Tampines Rovers’ Irfan Najeeb in action against Hougang United, 6 July 2023.

 

Cheetahs back on the prowl

Geylang 0-2 Hougang | Our Tampines Hub | 12 July

Kristijan Krajček 45’+5, Gabriel Quak 88’

 

 

With Geylang going down to 10 men due to Danish Irfan’s dismissal, Hougang fully capitalised with Krajček netting a free-kick from the edge of the area before the Croatian playmaker teed up Quak to curl home a neat effort in the second half to seal the three points.

Facts

• Hougang ended a four-game losing streak.
• Abdil Qayyim made his Hougang debut – his last SPL appearance ironically came against the Cheetahs at the same venue when he played for Geylang in a 4-2 defeat.
• Geylang’s Syazwan Abdul Latif made his professional debut.

Geylang: Hafiz Ahmad (GK), Akmal Azman (Syazwan Abdul Latif 84’), Rio Sakuma, Danish Irfan, Ahmad Syahir, Gareth Low (Fadli Kamis 46’), Joshua Pereira (C), Takahiro Tezuka, Yushi Yamaya, Arshad Shamim (Shahfiq Ghani 72’), Iqbal Hussain (Naufal Azman 72’).

Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Faisal Shahril, Nizwan Izzairie, Josh Tan, Christos Chua.

Hougang: Zaiful Nizam (GK), Nazrul Nazari (C), Abdil Qaiyyim, Kazuma Takayama, Jordan Vestering, Irwan Shah, Kristijan Krajček, Gabriel Quak, Hazzuwan Halim (Amir Zalani 75’), Amy Recha (Sahil Suhaimi 62’), Djordje Maksimovic.

Unused subs: Zainol Gulam (GK), Fairoz Hasan, Idraki Adnan, Rauf Sanizal, Louka Vaissierre-Tan, Iryan Fandi, Nasrul Pujiyono.

Red Card – Danish Irfan (Geylang) 45’+3

 

Hougang United’s Amy Recha in action against Tampines Rovers, 6 July 2023.

 

Terrific Tigers continue to shine

Balestier 4-2 Young Lions | Bishan | 12 July

Shuhei Hoshino 33’, Ryoya Taniguchi 65’, 83’ Alen Kozar 71’ | Haziq Kamarudin 47, Amiruldin Asraf 90’+5

 

 

After Balestier broke the deadlock with Hoshino netting a rebound, Young Lions found a surprise equaliser with Haziq’s intended cross looping over Hairul Syirhan. However, the Tigers grabbed more goals with Taniguchi scoring a stunning 30-yard free-kick before Kozar similarly netted from range to go 3-1 up. Taniguchi converted a second from close range before Amiruldin found a late consolation for Young Lions.

Facts

• Young Lions have now lost nine straight games and conceded in 81 straight SPL outings.
• Balestier have won their last three matches.
• Taniguchi have now pulled level on 18 goals with Sailors’ Lestienne at the top of the SPL scoring charts.
• Haziq scored his first-ever professional goal, while Amiruldin scored his first SPL goal since July 2019 in Home United’s 3-3 draw with Albirex.
• Young Lions’ Prathip Ekamparam made his SPL debut.

Balestier: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Fudhil I’yadh, Emmeric Ong, Jordan Emaviwe, Darren Teh, Alen Kozar (Kian Jared Ghadessy 87’), Ho Wai Loon, Ryoya Taniguchi, Ignatius Ang (Syukri Noorhaizam 64’), Masahiro Sugita, Shuhei Hoshino.

Unused subs: Syazani Hashari (GK), Syabil Hisham, Amer Hakeem, Aidil Johari, Garv Sahoo, Darren Teo, Irfan Mika’il.

Young Lions: Prathip Ekamparam (GK), Jun Kobayashi, Kieran Teo, Fairuz Fazli, Kan Kobayashi, Harhys Stewart (C), Jared Gallagher, Syafi’ie Redzuan (Iman Hakim 83’), Farhan Zulkifli (Ikram Mikhail 73’), Haziq Kamarudin (Ryan Praveen 83’), Syahadat Masnawi (Amiruldin Asraf 59’).

Unused subs: Aizil Yazid (GK), Umayr Sujuandy (GK), Loo Kai Sheng.

 

Balestier Khalsa’s Ignatius Ang in action against Tanjong Pagar United, 6 July 2023.