Balestier Khalsa’s Jordan Emaviwe in action against Lion City Sailors’ Christopher Van Huizen, 13 July 2024.
SINGAPORE, 15 JULY 2024 – Title-chasing duo Lion City Sailors and BG Tampines Rovers will go into a huge clash in Matchweek 9 level on points at the top after defeating Balestier Khalsa and Brunei DPMM respectively, while Hougang United lifted themselves off the foot of the table with a draw against Young Lions. Elsewhere, defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) dropped to bottom after a defeat to Tanjong Pagar United. We recap all the action here…
White Swans’ woes continue
Tanjong Pagar 2-1 Albirex | Jurong East | 12 July
Salif Cissé 75’, Faizal Roslan pen. 86’ | Shingo Nakano 16’
Nakano’s firm header off Yohei Otake’s cross put Albirex in the lead, before they were given a further advantage with Tanjong Pagar’s Syed Akmal getting a straight red card. However, 10-man Jaguars rallied – with Cissé atoning for a penalty miss by bundling home off a set-piece routine before Faizal thumped home an emphatic penalty to seal a comeback win.
Facts
- Tanjong Pagar won back-to-back home games for the first time since April 2023.
- This is Tanjong Pagar’s first win over the White Swans since February 2022.
- Albirex have now lost six out of their seven matches this season – they only lost a total of seven matches across Kazuaki Yoshinaga’s previous four league seasons in charge (2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023).
- Syed Akmal’s red cards means Tanjong Pagar are the team with the most dismissals this season with three.
Tanjong Pagar: Prathip Ekamparam (GK), Zenivio Mota, Pathy Malumandsoko, Syed Akmal, Faizal Roslan (C), Rezza Rezky (Azim Akbar 90’+2), Tomoki Wada, Stefan Paunović, Shodai Nishikawa, Syahadat Masnawi (Sahil Suhaimi 58’), Salif Cissé (Saiful Azhar 90’+5).
Unused subs: Fashah Iskandar (GK), Riki Kimura (GK), Ahmad Danial, Ihsan Hadi, Arsyad Basiron, Risvi Aaqil.
Albirex: Hassan Sunny (GK), Junki Yoshimura, Koki Kawachi, Stevia Egbus Mikuni (C), Gareth Low, Syed Firdaus Hassan (Ho Wai Loon 90’+10), Arya Igami Tarhani (Syukri Bashir 90’+2), Yohei Otake, Daniel Goh (Daniel Martens 86’), Shingo Nakano, Shuhei Hoshino.
Unused subs: Dylan Pereira (GK), Zainol Gulam (GK), Arshad Shamim, Haziq Kamarudin, Hilman Norhisam, Kenji Austin.
Red Card – Syed Akmal (Tanjong Pagar) 50’
Tanjong Pagar United players celebrating their winning goal against Albirex Niigata (S), 12 July 2024.
Sailors leave it late
Balestier 2-4 Sailors | Bishan | 13 July
Ismail Sassi 68’, 83’ | Bart Ramselaar 60’, Toni Datković 81’, Maxime Lestienne pen. 90’+3, 90’+5
A topsy-turvy game saw Ramselaar rifling the Sailors ahead, before Sassi curled home a neat effort to pull Balestier level. Datković restored the home side’s lead through a fine header, but it was quickly cancelled out by another Sassi strike. The Sailors would eventually prevail through two Lestienne goals in injury time, with the Belgian converting from the spot before applying the finishing touch on a lethal counter-attack to complete a brace.
Facts
- Each of Balestier’s seven games this season have witnessed four goals or more scored across both sides.
- Lestienne has now netted in six straight SPL matches – equalling his best scoring streak achieved between August to September 2022.
- The Sailors are now unbeaten in their last 12 SPL matches stretching back to July 2023.
Balestier: Hafiz Ahmad (GK), Fudhil I’yadh (Amer Hakeem 76’), Tajeli Salamat, Madhu Mohana, Jordan Emaviwe, Harith Kanadi, Alen Kozar (C) (Amiruldin Asraf 90’+2), Ismail Sassi, Masahiro Sugita (Ignatius Ang 31’), Riku Fukashiro, Kodai Tanaka.
Unused subs: Martyn Mun (GK), Darren Teh, Emmeric Ong, Elijah Lim, Irfan Mika’il, Reycredo Bukit.
Sailors: Zharfan Rohaizad (GK), Christopher van Huizen (Hafiz Nor 53’), Bailey Wright, Toni Datković, Sergio Carmona Pérez, Hariss Harun (C), Hami Syahin (Haiqal Pashia 79’), Maxime Lestienne, Adam Swandi (Shawal Anuar 53’), Song Uiyoung (Bart Ramselaar 53’, Anumanthan Kumar 63’), Lennart Thy.
Unused subs: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Bill Mamadou, Lionel Tan, Nur Muhammad Asis.
Lion City Sailors’ Maxime Lestienne in action against Balestier Khalsa, 13 July 2024.
Relentless Stags continue title pursuit
BG Tampines 3-0 DPMM | Jalan Besar | 13 July
Boris Kopitović 30’, 88’, Nurikhwan Othman O.G. 62’
The result was never in doubt after Kopitović volleyed home Seia Kunori’s lofted pass to put BG Tampines ahead, before Nurikhwan inadvertently cleared Glenn Kweh’s cross into his own goal. Kopitović then benefitted from yet another Kunori assist to sweep in his second and complete an easy victory.
Facts
- BG Tampines achieved their third clean sheet of the season – the most by any team.
- Kopitović scored his 100th and 101st goals for Tampines – as he closes in on Aleksandar Duric’s tally of 105 as BG Tampines’ all-time top scorer.
- Kopitović is the only player to net in each of his seven appearances this season.
- Tampines’ Kieran Tan made his SPL debut.
BG Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK) (C), Jared Gallagher (Amirul Adli 46’), Irfan Najeeb, Shuya Yamashita, Miloš Zlatković (Syahrul Sazali 90’), Glenn Kweh (Yasir Hanapi 67’), Shah Shahiran, Kyoga Nakamura, Faris Ramli (Taufik Suparno 76’), Seia Kunori, Boris Kopitović (Kieran Tan 90’).
Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Saifullah Akbar, Caelan Chong, Thanet Suknate.
DPMM: Kristijan Naumovski (GK), Syafiq Safiuddin, Yura Indera Putera, Hanif Hamir, Nurikhwan Othman (C), Abdul Mu’iz Sisa (Najib Tarif 79’), Farshad Noor, Gabriel Gama (Azwan Saleh 53’), Hakeme Yazid, Miguel Oliveira, Julio Cruz ((Nazirrudin Ismail 79’).
Unused subs: Haimie Nyaring (GK), Azwan Ali Rahman, Faturrahman Embran, Haziq Naqiuddin, Abdul Hariz Herman, Nazry Aiman.
BG Tampines Rovers’ Boris Kopitovic celebrates scoring against Brunei DPMM, 13 July 2024.
Cheetahs show slight respite
Hougang 2-2 Young Lions | Jalan Besar | 14 July
Hazzuwan Halim 47’, Nur Adam Abdullah O.G. 80’ | Jun Kobayashi 31’, Itsuki Enomoto 67’
A thriller saw Kobayashi nodding home Kaisei Ogawa’s corner to put Young Lions ahead, before Hazzuwan fired home Dejan Račić’s teasing cross to pull Hougang level. Nazri Nasir’s side retook the lead through Enomoto’s header off another Ogawa dead-ball, but the Cheetahs rallied with Ajay Robson’s cross leading to a Nur Adam own goal to rescue a much-needed point.
Facts
- Hougang remains the only team yet to taste victory this season.
- Hougang are now winless in their last 10 SPL outings stretching back to August 2023.
- Enomoto has now scored six goals in his last six appearances.
Hougang: Kenji Rusydi (GK), Adam Reefdy (Gabriel Quak 46’), Faris Hasić, Ensar Brunčević, Jordan Vestering (Danish Irfan 75’), Ismail Salihović (Ajay Robson 75’), Shodai Yokoyama, Nazrul Nazari (C), Petar Banović (Shahdan Sulaiman 68’), Hazzuwan Halim (Justin Hui 68’), Dejan Račić.
Unused subs: Keith Chung (GK), Nazhiim Harman, Zamani Zamri, Danie Hafiy.
Young Lions: Aizil Yazid (GK), Ryaan Sanizal (Aqil Yazid 75’), Jun Kobayashi, Kieran Teo (C), Nur Adam Abdullah, Kan Kobayashi, Kaisei Ogawa, Fathullah Rahmat (Farhan Zulkifli 58’), Khairin Nadim (Amir Syafiz 88’), Danish Qayyum (Andrew Aw 75’), Itsuki Enomoto.
Unused subs: Travis Ang (GK), Syafi Nur Hilman, Danish Haziq, Izz Anaqi, Ethan Pinto.
Young Lions’ Itsuki Enomoto in action against Hougang United, 14 July 2024.
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