Matchweek 16 delivered drama from start to finish — a win for Young Lions, a stunning comeback and a last-gasp own goal to close out the matchweek. Here are five lessons from Matchweek 16:
Young Lions secure long-awaited breakthrough
Tanjong Pagar United 0-1 Young Lions | Jurong East Stadium | 10 April
(Sergio Mendonca 5′)
It has been a long time coming – but Young Lions claimed their second win of the season, thanks to Sergio Mendonca’s early strike. The Brazilian forward struck in just the fifth minute, giving Firdaus Kassim’s side the lead – and from there, the visitors held firm for a result that will do wonders for confidence in the camp.
Just as significant was the defensive display that followed. Veteran goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud marshalled the backline to record the Young Lions’ first clean sheet of the campaign.
While they had previously been awarded a 3-0 victory following Hougang United’s overturned result earlier in the season, this was the Young Lions’ first victory earned on the field — a result that could provide a much-needed confidence boost heading into the next phase of the campaign.
Tanjong Pagar United: Zaiful Nizam (C), Kim Likwan, Syed Akmal, Zenivio Mota, Raihan Rahman, Estevez Emilio, Vabio Canavaro (Fathullah Rahmat 70’), Shodai Nishikawa (Syahrul Sazali 59’), Sahil Suhaimi (Anaqi Ismit 70’), Lee Chanwoo (Izrafil Yusof 85’), Junior Djile (Syahadat Masnawi 85’)
Unused subs: Matthew Silva, Kenji Rusydi, Naqiuddin Eunos, Naufal Ilham, Aiqel Aliman, Samuel Pillai, Haziq Zulkifli
Young Lions: Izwan Mahbud, Ajay Robson, Abner Vinicius (Andy Reefqy 69’), Sergio Mendonca, Henry Spence (Joshua Little 86’), Marcus Mosses, Fairuz Fazli, Nathan Mao (C) (Amir Syafiz 76’), Luth Harith, Danial Ukail, Abdil Qaiyyim
Unused subs: Ashman Saravanan, Iryan Fandi, Garv Sahoo, Caelan Cheong, Nicolas Beninger, Yazid Rizal
Hide delivers the heroics as Stags survive a storm
BG Tampines Rovers 4-3 Geylang International | Our Tampines Hub | 11 April
(Hide Higashikawa 5’, 12’, 90+8’, Jacob Mahler 90+5’ | Kaisei Ogawa 21’, Shodai Yokoyama 29’, Shuhei Hoshino 47’)
One of the most dramatic matches of the season unfolded at Our Tampines Hub as BG Tampines Rovers fought back to defeat Geylang International in a seven-goal thriller.
The Stags initially took the lead before a lightning warning temporarily halted proceedings. After play resumed, the momentum swung firmly in Geylang’s favour as the Eagles surged ahead to lead 2-3 with goals from Kaisei Ogawa, Shodai Yokoyama and Shuhei Hoshino.
But BG Tampines refused to surrender. Deep into stoppage time, Jacob Mahler rose to equalise in the fifth minute of added time. Just moments later, the Stags completed an extraordinary turnaround when their hat-trick hero, Hide HIgashikawa headed home in the eighth minute of additional time to seal a remarkable 4-3 victory and three vital points.
BG Tampines Rovers: Syazwan Buhari (C), Shuya Yamashita, Jacob Mahler, Seiga Sumi (Joel Chew 65’), Shah Shahiran, Trent Buhagiar (Taufik Suparno 65’), Irfan Najeeb, Hide Higashikawa (Tara Ndao 90+10’), Takeshi Yoshimoto, Yuki Kobayashi, Kohya Kazama
Unused subs: Kasey Rogers, Raoul Suhaimi, Ong Yu En, Amirul Haikal, Zikos Chua, Iman Hakim, Kegan Phang, Naufal Mohammad
Geylang International: Rudy Khairullah, Kim Tae Ho, Shuhei Hoshino, Joshua Pereira (C) (Ryu Hardy 90+9’), Ryoya Taniguchi, Vincent Bezecourt (Riku Fukashiro 90’), Nikola Ignjatovic, Shahdan Sulaiman (Amy Recha 79’), Shodai Yokoyama, Kaisei Ogawa, Nazrul Nazari
Unused subs: Yu Kanoshima, Iqram Rifqi, Gareth Low, Ko Jaehyun, Faisal Shahril, Prince Rio Rifae’i, Abuduryim Abdushukur, Vedant Raj
Sailors respond after early scare
Lion City Sailors 4-1 Hougang United | Jalan Besar Stadium | 12 April
(Lennart Thy 37’ (P), Shawal Anuar 46’, Toni Datkovic 59’’, Anderson Lopes 90’ | Huzaifah Aziz 9’)
Hougang United gave the league leaders an early scare when Huzaifah Aziz produced a superb long-range effort into the top corner in the ninth minute to give the Cheetahs the lead.
However, Sailors responded with authority. Lennart Thy converted from the penalty spot in the 37th minute after Hougang goalkeeper Ridhuan Barudin fouled Hafiz Nor inside the box, restoring parity before halftime.
The hosts then seized control after the break. Substitute Shawal Anuar made an immediate impact, scoring with one of his first touches just moments into the second half. Further goals from Toni Datković and Anderson Lopes ensured the Sailors eventually ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.
Lion City Sailors: Ivan Susak, Toni Datkovic, Tsiy Ndenge (Lucas Agueiro 84’), Lennart Thy (Anderson Lopes 60’), Bart Ramselaar (Rui Pires 84’), Hafiz Nor (Shawal Anuar 46’), Song Uiyoung (Hami Syahin 68’), Bailey Wright (C), Diogo Costa, Akram Azman, Kyoga Nakamura
Unused subs: Benjamin Zerak, Adib Nur Hakim, Lionel Tan, Hariss Harun, Nur Adam, Christopher van Huizen,
Hougang United: Ridhuan Barudin, Jordan Vestering, Chonlawit Kanuengkid (Saharat Panmarchya 87’), Huzaifah Aziz (Brant Tan 90’), Saifullah Akbar, Farhan Zulkifli, Washington Ayovi (Kanok Kongsimma 76’), Ryaan Sanizal (C), Nabilai Kibunguchy, Yuma Suwa, Jaushua Sotirio (Rauf Sanizal 87’)
Unused subs: Aizil Yazid, Rauf Erwan, Anders Aplin, Wong Ngang Haang, Aryan Boon, Syady Sufwan, Woo Chun Wei, Ganesan Silloren
Tigers pounce late to stun the White Swans
Balestier Khalsa 2-1 Albirex Niigata (S) | Bishan Stadium | 13 April
(Bogdan Mandic 31’, Naoki Yoshioka O.G. 90+4′ | Abdul Rasaq 35’)
Balestier Khalsa produced a gritty and determined performance to claim a result that few saw coming. Bogdan Mandić opened the scoring in the 31st minute before Albirex Niigata (S) responded swiftly. Just four minutes later, Shingo Nakano headed the ball across goal for Abdul Rasaq to finish, bringing Albirex level.
From there, Balestier dug deep — defending resolutely and making it difficult for the White Swans. The decisive moment came deep into added time, when Lazar Vujanic’s free kick into the box found an unfortunate Naoki Yoshioka, whose own goal handed the Tigers a dramatic late victory.
Albirex miss chance to close the gap
Albirex Niigata (S) will look back on the defeat with frustration, knowing it was a missed opportunity to close the gap on second-placed BG Tampines Rovers, whose dramatic win over Geylang on Saturday (11 April) had kept the White Swans within striking distance.
With the title race tightening, every point is proving crucial. Instead of gaining ground, the late own goal caused the White Swans to see their rivals consolidate their positions near the top of the table after Matchweek 16.
As the season enters its final stretch, the margin for error is shrinking — and this is a result Keiji Shigetomi’s side can ill afford to dwell on for long.
Balestier Khalsa: Mario Mustapic, Darren Teh, Tajeli Salamat, Mario Subaric, Madhu Mohana (C), Lazar Vujanic, Bogdan Mandic (Elijah Lim 72’), Daniel Goh (Ignatius Ang 81’), Tin Matic (Ifat Sha’aban 90+6’), Masahiro Sugita, Jakov Katusa
Unused subs: Martyn Mun, Hafiz Ahmad, Fudhil I’Yadh, Aniq Raushan, Ilyasin Zayan, Yanir Ben Eliezer,
Albirex Niigata (S): Hassan Sunny, Kim Taeuk, Nozomi Ozawa (Naoki Yoshioka 45+4’), Komei Iida, Zulqarnaen Suzliman, Katsuyuki Ishibashi (Jaden Heng 68’), Cho Eunsu, Sim Jun Yen (Nicky Melvin Singh 68’), Abdul Rasaq (Ren Nishimura 84’), Yang Hyeonju (Jaden Heng 84’), Shingo Nakano (C)
Unused subs: Takahiro Koga, Dylan Pereira, Helmi Shahrol, Syukri Bashir, Delwinder Singh, Danish Qayyum, Shakthi Vinayagavijayan
