Written by: Ryan Low

Albirex Niigata (S) continued their rampant ways in the 2016 Great Eastern-Yeo’s S.League as they thrashed Home United 5-2 at the Jurong East Stadium on Saturday night to go seven points clear at the top.

Albirex had led 3-0 before the hour mark, before Home produced a spirited response to pull two goals back late on. However, the attacking-minded White Swans pushed forward and scored another two to bag yet another win.

The all-Japanese outfit got off to the best possible start, with playmaker Tatsuro Inui unleashing a superb curler from 25 yards out that caught out Home custodian Hyrulnizam Juma’at before looping into goal.

Home struggled to assert themselves through the first half and conceded again on the stroke of half-time. After Hyrulnizam had ventured out to thwart Atsushi Kawata, Inui was on hand to sweep home from close range for his and Albirex’s second goal of the night.

Hyrulnizam was then hauled off for Zulfairuuz Rudy at halftime, but the latter had to pick the ball out of the net just 12 minutes after coming on as Kawata’s cross- shot looped over him via a deflection off Home defender Shahrin Saberin.

Home looked dead and buried by then, but did well to get themselves back into the game with two quick-fire goals.

On 78 minutes, Ken Ilso converted from the spot after Faris was adjudged to have been brought down by Atsushi Shirota inside the area. Three minutes later, substitute Khairul Nizam expertly flicked past Albirex keeper Yosuke Nozawa after being picked out by Ambroise Begue’s teasing right-wing cross.

However, any hopes of nicking a courageous point was killed off shortly thereafter with Kento Nagasaki scoring twice within a minute.

The 26-year-old fired a stupendous 25-yard shot into the top right corner which left Zulfairuuz rooted to the spot, before clipping home from close range after going past two Home defenders in the box to round off the scoring.

The result meant Albirex restored the seven-point gap between them and Tampines, while Home went a third straight game without a win.

Albirex Niigata (S) head coach Naoki Naruo: “It was a difficult game for us although we scored five. Inui’s first goal was very important for us because it decided how the game went.

“Our next game is against Tampines and that will be a very difficult game. We have to focus on that game before thinking about the championship.”

Home United assistant coach Robin Chitrakar: “You can see the boys are fighting very hard and trying their best today. To come from 3-0 down and score two showed that they really wanted it. It’s just unfortunate that they scored again through counter-attacks.

“I think we showed that we can play against them, so teams should come here (to Jurong East) and try to win. Hopefully, we can pick ourselves up from this defeat.”

Albirex Niigata (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK, C), Mikiya Yamada, Kento Fujihara, Atsushi Shirota, Naofumi Tanaka, Shuto Inaba, Tomoki Menda, Kento Nagasaki, Tatsuro Inui (Daichi Ishiyama 83’), Atsushi Kawata (Kazuki Mine 89’), Hiroyoshi Kamata (Masaya Jitozono 61’)

Home United: Hyrulnizam Juma’at (GK) (Zulfairuuz Rudy 46’), Shamil Sharif, Abdil Qaiyyim, Shahrin Saberin (Sim Teck Yi 71’), Zulfahmi Arifin, Song Uiyoung, Syahiran Miswan (Khairul Nizam 61’), Ambroise Begue, Azhar Sairudin, Faris Ramli, Ken Ilso (C)