Written by: Shawn Lim

Home United mounted an inspirational comeback in the second half to beat Warriors FC 2-1 in the last Uniformed Derby of the season on Wednesday night at Yishun Stadium.

Fazrul Nawaz fired the visitors ahead in the 39th minute before goals from Kamel Ramdani and Ambroise Begue in the second half helped the Protectors snatch victory.

The win for the Protectors was especially sweet as this was their second come-from-behind performance in less than a week, but they were rewarded with three points this time after drawing 4-4 with Brunei DPMM last time round.

It was the defending champions who began the match with urgency though, as they pressed the hosts high up the pitch from the off.

Home custodian Hyrulnizam Juma’at’s agility was put to the test just two minutes into the game and he brilliantly denied Miroslav Pejic’s piledriver from the edge of the box before pushing Karlo Ivancic’s rebound away to safety.

Five minutes later, Warriors wasted another opportunity to break the deadlock after Marin Vidosevic headed the ball wide of the mark from Hafiz Rahim’s free-kick

Vidosevic was in the thick of the action again in the 13th minute when he tried a shot from close range after receiving the ball from Pejic’s corner, but found teammate Fazrul in his way.

Fazrul was next to try his luck in the 19th minute, but sent his header from Bennett’s cross just wide at the far post with Hyrulnizam at full stretch.

Warriors’ attempts at controlling possession limited the Protectors’ openings, but in a moment of brilliance, Ramdani weaved his way to edge of the box from the right flank in the 23rd minute before firing off a shot that went inches wide.

The breakthrough arrived for the visitors when Fazrul rose the highest to power home a bullet header from Hafiz’s corner in the 39th minute for his 15th goal of the season.

The Protectors had a wonderful chance to pull a goal back a minute before the break, but Yasir Hanapi was unable to get enough bend on his effort from outside the box to place it inside the far post.

Home came out firing after the break though, and were quickly on level terms through Ramdani, who lined up a free kick on the edge of the box and sent a trademark effort into the back of the net in the 58th minute.

The hosts were on the ascendency after the goal and should have doubled the lead in the 70th minute when Noh Rahman deftly laid the ball into the path of substitute Azhar Sairudin, but the latter was unable to convert.

Azhar turned provider three minutes later when he sent Yasir through on goal, but the latter fired off a weak effort that did not trouble Ong.

Begue then found Azhar in the 78th minute with an excellent cross, but the midfielder sent his shot wide despite being inches away from the goalmouth.

A minute later, Ong was required to thwart Ilso’s thunderous drive from outside the box as the Protectors continued their assault on the Warriors’s goal.

Soon after, Imran Sahib missed a gilt-edged opportunity to give the Protectors the lead in the 84th minute when his first-time effort from Begue’s cross in the 18-yard box went horribly wide.

Home’s comeback was completed when an excellent half-volley from Begue on the margins of the 18-yard box in the 85th minute found its way to the bottom corner of the net.

The Protectors came close to extending their lead two minutes from regulation time after Ramdani dazzled his way into the 18-yard box, but saw his shot is cleared off the line as the final whistle arrived minutes later.

Home United: Hyrulnizam Juma’at (GK), Noh Rahman (C), Abdil Qayyim, Ang Zhi Wei, Sharin Saberin, Yasir Hanapi, Fazli Ayob (Imran Sahib 67’), Stanely Ng (Azhar Sairudin 57’), Ambroise Begue (Sufianto Salleh 86’), Kamel Ramdani, Ken Ilso

Warriors FC: Daniel Ong (GK), Syaqir Sulaiman, Daniel Bennett (C) (Hafsyar Farkhan 82’), Marin Vidosevic, Irwan Shah; Emmeric Ong (Hamqaamal Shah 90’), Kevin McCann, Hafiz Rahim, Karlo Ivancic, Miroslav Pejic, Fazrul Nawaz