Singapore Premier League • November 15, 2015

Protectors And Young Lions Eager To End Season On A High

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Written by: Shawn Lim

Home United vs Courts Young Lions
(15 November, Sunday, 7:30pm, Yishun Stadium)

Home United will host Courts Young Lions at Yishun Stadium on Sunday night as both look to end the season on a winning note.

The Protectors are currently on a four-match losing streak and have yet to pick up maximum points this month in a Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League match.

While it is starting to look reminiscent of their poor start to the season, Home coach Philippe Aw wants his side to continue the exciting brand of football that he has introduced to the fans at Yishun Stadium this season.

“We are a point of time where we make a mistake and we get punished while we create chances and we don’t finish,” said Aw after his side 3-2 loss to Tampines Rovers.

“But we will continue to display a good brand of football. I really hope the fans enjoyed how we came out to play football today.”

Home will also most likely use their game against the Young Lions as final preparations for their RHB Singapore Cup semi-final match against Brunei DPMM a week later.

As for the Young Lions, the Singapore Under-23 side will start and end their season with two different coaches after Aide Iskandar made way for Juergen Raab mid-way through the season.

The Young Lions have picked up crucial points since the switch, after Raab introduced a possession-based game to his charges, which they have taken to like fish to water.

Currently with only one loss in their past five games, the Young Lions will be eager to finish their season with a win and prevent Geylang International from leapfrogging them into seventh place.

A victory for the Protectors will keep them in sixth place and prevent Harimau Muda from overtaking them if the Young Tigers can achieve maximum points against Tampines.

Key Man To Watch

Home United: Azhar Sairudin 

The midfielder was guilty of missing a couple of gilt-edged chances to score for the Protectors in their loss to Tampines despite being inches away from the goal mouth.

Azhar will be eager to redeem himself against the Young Lions and will ensure that he converts all his chances to help Home finish the season on a high.

Courts Young Lions: Nur Na’iim Ishak 

The 22-year-old only lasted a little more than half an hour in the Young Lions’ 2-2 draw with Geylang International after he was hauled off by Raab for putting up an ineffective performance.

Should Na’iim be handed a starting spot against the Protectors, he will want to put in a good shift to get back into his coach’s good books.

Home United – WLLLL

08/11/15  Home United 2-3 Tampines Rovers (S.League)
05/11/15  Home United 1-2 Albirex Niigata (S) (S.League)
02/11/15  Harimau Muda 1-0 Home United (S.League)
30/10/15  Geylang International 2-1 Home United (S.League)
26/10/15  Home United 2-0 Balestier Khalsa (S.League)

Courts Young Lions – WLDWD

06/11/15  Courts Young Lions 2-2 Geylang International (S.League)
02/11/15  Albirex Niigata (S) 0-1 Courts Young Lions (S.League)
27/10/15  Courts Young Lions 1-1 Harimau Muda (S.League)
19/10/15  Balestier Khalsa 1-0 Courts Young Lions (S.League)
16/10/15  Courts Young Lions 2-1 Warriors FC (S.League)

Head to Head (S.League)

27/08/15  Courts Young Lions 0-2 Home United
28/04/15  Home United 0-1 Courts Young Lions
28/08/14  Home United 0-3 Courts Young Lions
07/05/14  Courts Young Lions 1-1 Home United
30/08/13  Home United 1-0 Courts Young Lions