News • June 21, 2017
Kraljevic Urges Tigers To Bare Their Teeth
Garena Young Lions vs Balestier Khalsa
(22 June, Thursday, 8.30pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)
Written by: Shawn Lim
Balestier Khalsa will pay Garena Young Lions a visit at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday night in the Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League, where nothing but a win will do for head coach Marko Kraljevic.
The Tigers are currently languishing in seventh in the league table after only winning twice this season and the Toa Payoh-based club have also found goals to come by, finding the back of the net only five times so far.
Kraljevic is aware that this is a glorious opportunity to pick up all three points against the Young Lions – who are residing two spots below them – but is wary of the threat the hosts can pose.
âThey might not be doing well, but it wonât be an easy game because they are young and they wonât stop running at you for the full 90 minutes,â explained the German-Croat.
âThey have the home ground advantage too, because of the artificial pitch at Jalan Besar, so it will not be easy to play them on such a pitch.
âTherefore, we will need to go all out to play and beat them if we want all three points.â
Despite lamenting about his teamâs lack of a proper striker, Kraljevic has decided against signing any players during the recent transfer window. However, the former striker believes that his team will find the back of the net against the Young Lions.
âWe need to attack, we have no other choice if we want to move up the table, as we want to try to finish mid-table,â explained Kraljevic.
âI cannot reveal our tactical plans, but we will attack from the get-go tomorrow and try to score. We have no other choice.â
Kraljevic, who will be without experienced midfielder Raihan Rahman, who is suspended for the game, will look to the likes of Hanafi Akbar, Tajeli Salamat and Aung Kyaw Naing to lead the frontline for the Tigers.
Meanwhile, the Young Lions will see Richard Tardy take charge of his third game after the team parted ways with V. Selvaraj.
A bulk of the Young Lions side spent the international break in Doha, Qatar where they played twice against their much experienced Qatari counterparts and they will no doubt be keen to use that experience gained when they take on the Tigers.
Tardy will however be without captain and centre-back Shahrin Saberin, who is suspended for the game. Singaporean-born German Armin Maier has signed for the Young Lions and could be in line for a debut on Thursday night.
Suspensions: Shahrin Saberin (Garena Young Lions); Raihan Rahman (Balestier Khalsa)
Garena Young Lions – LLDLL
26/05/17 Albirex Niigata (S) 8-0 Garena Young Lions
21/05/17 Garena Young Lions 1-2 Home United
13/05/17 Garena Young Lions 0-0 Brunei DPMM
23/04/17 Tampines Rovers 1-0 Garena Young Lions
15/04/17 Garena Young Lions 0-2 Geylang International
 Balestier Khalsa – LLLLL
17/06/17 Tampines Rovers 3-1 Balestier Khalsa
01/06/17 Balestier Khalsa 3-4 Nagaworld FC (CAM) (RHB Singapore Cup)
26/05/17 Balestier Khalsa 0-1 Geylang International
19/05/17 Warriors FC 1-0 Balestier Khalsa
02/05/17 Home United 1-0 Balestier Khalsa
Head to Head (S.League)
02/04/17 Balestier Khalsa 1-0 Garena Young Lions
05/08/16 Garena Young Lions 1-3 Balestier Khalsa
21/04/16 Balestier Khalsa 2-0 Garena Young Lions
14/02/16 Garena Young Lions 1-0 Balestier Khalsa
19/10/15 Balestier Khalsa 1-0 Garena Young Lions