Matchweek 3 of the Singapore Premier League brought yet more fireworks on the pitch, with Geylang International and Balestier Khalsa claiming their first victories of the season while the Lion City Sailors impressed with a dominant showing. From Hougang’s defensive frailties to the first impressions of this new-look Young Lions side, here are five lessons from this round of fixtures.
- Defensive lapses continue to haunt Hougang
It was another tough day on the defensive front for Hougang, as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Geylang. Head Coach Robert Eziakor will be frustrated at the manner in which the two goals were conceded. The Cheetahs’ backline was all at sea for the first goal, before a mix-up between Zharfan Rohaizad and Ryaan Sanizal allowed Ryoya Taniguchi to slot home the second. To make matters worse, the home side ended the game with nine men after two red cards.
Still without their first points of the season, Hougang will be eager to turn things around against the Young Lions. New centre back Nabi Kibunguchy also needs time to get up to speed with his team. But with teams now more aware of their defensive frailties, the Cheetahs cannot afford any more slip-ups.
- Eagles back among the goals
After drawing a blank in their first two games, Geylang were finally able to rediscover their goalscoring touch. Well-taken goals from Riku Fukashiro and Taniguchi secured an important victory against Hougang, lifting them to 4th in the table. With the numerical advantage, the Eagles — especially Shuhei Hoshino — will count themselves unlucky not to have added to the scoreline.
With Tanjong Pagar United and Young Lions up next, Geylang will surely see this as an opportunity to gather steam. Their transition to the post-Tomoyuki Doi era may still be ongoing, but expect the team to continue refining their attacking edge as the season progresses.
- Plenty of work and time needed for Young Lions
All eyes were on a much-changed Young Lions side as they took on Balestier. The game will be remembered for Elijah Lim’s 100th-minute screamer, but there were initial signs of promise from Firdaus Kassim’s side.
Leading the line for Young Lions was forward Sérgio Mendonça, who caused plenty of problems for Balestier. The Brazilian was fouled 11 times, as the Tigers struggled to cope with his physicality and hold-up play. Englishman Harry Spence was also a livewire down the flanks, winning a penalty which Mendonça converted. Local players impressed, with Ong Yu En catching the eye with his tidy passing and ball retention in midfield.
However, that early optimism was quickly shattered by a 5-1 defeat to Tanjong Pagar United in their second match. Young Lions looked off the pace in the second half, shipping four goals in just 24 minutes – many of which came from unforced errors.
Fatigue may have contributed to their capitulation, but with no points from their opening two games, the early signs are troubling. Firdaus will need time to imprint his tactical ideas on the team, but tougher challenges still lie ahead for his side.
With plenty of striking options at their disposal, striking the right balance is key for the Sailors. German forward Lennart Thy has five goals and two assists in five games, while marquee signing Anderson Lopes also got off the mark with his brace against the Jaguars.
Fans have already seen glimpses of the duo playing together, which bore fruit on Monday as signs of a growing partnership began to emerge. While Thy is adept at linking play, Lopes’ power and dribbling ability add a different dimension to the attack.
Whether the Sailors plan to deploy both upfront moving forward remains to be seen, but fans can be optimistic about the attacking threat the pair provides together.
- Jaguars seize opportunity with both hands
Tanjong Pagar started the matchweek with another sobering defeat, losing 7-0 to the Lion City Sailors. It marked the seventh time in 17 league games that the Sailors had scored six or more goals against them in a match. The Jaguars struggled with the constant waves of Sailors attacks, who were able to exploit the huge gaps between the lines.
However, they looked a different side in their 5-1 win over the Young Lions, ruthlessly capitalising on every mistake made by their opponents.
Facing the SPL’s top teams will remain an uphill battle, but matches like these are where the Jaguars must make their performances count. They have also yet to introduce foreigners like Emilio Estevez and Jesse Daley, who will give the team an extra boost.
With their toughest early fixtures now out of the way, they have now taken the first step toward collecting valuable points and building much-needed momentum.