Written by: Kenneth Ho
Home United played almost the whole of the second half with ten men in the match against Hougang United on Thursday evening.
However, despite Lee Kwan Woo’s sending off in the 47th minute, the Protectors still managed to equalise against the Cheetahs on two occasions to earn a 2-2 draw.
While Home United coach Lee Lim Saeng was unhappy his side only managed to bring home a point, he pointed out that the comeback made by his side will have raised his team’s morale.
“I think my players tried their best to the last minute, that’s why we came back with a draw. It will be good for the players’ morale because if we lose the morale will go down,” Lee said of the result.
“It’s not bad as compared to losing the game. I know many people are expecting us to beat our opponent, but the opponent also worked hard.
On the other hand, Hougang coach Amin Nasri believed his side lost two points instead of gaining one, as his side enjoyed the numerical advantage in the game.
“Again the situation is the same as last week,” Amin lamented. “We had the extra man and the good thing is we managed to score, but the sad part is the lapse in concentration on the attack line that led to the equalisers.”
However the Hougang tactician was not about to press the panic button just yet, as he felt that his team did well against a top team.
“I am not so-called worried, the thing is these are the top teams, Home United every year is a top team and to me, we are the underdogs,” Amin observed.
“To come here in Bishan and give them a good fight so I am very satisfied with our boys performance.”
With injured first-choice goalkeeper Fadhil Salim still three to four weeks away from recovery, Amin also gave his reserve goalkeeper Nazri Sabri his vote of confidence, even though the custodian’s error allowed Home to score the first equaliser.
“Definitely I need to give him a morale boost because the next game he will be starting. I can feel how he felt, but things happen and we have to move on today, “ Amin said
“Injuries happen to every team so we have a reserve goalkeeper and for me Nazri is very capable except for that mistake that he made.”