BG Tampines Rovers’ Boris Kopitovic in action against Lion City Sailors, 18 July 2024
SINGAPORE, 21 JULY 2024 – A total of 24 goals was scored in a thrilling matchweek, which saw BG Tampines Rovers wallop title rivals Lion City Sailors to go top while Geylang International continued their unbeaten start by defeating Tanjong Pagar United. Elsewhere, Albirex Niigata (S) lifted themselves off bottom with a stunning win over Balestier Khalsa while Brunei DPMM and Hougang United played out a draw. We recap all the action here…
Stags’ statement of intent
Sailors 0-5 BG Tampines | Bishan | 18 July
Boris Kopitović 45’, 47’, Glenn Kweh 45’+5, Faris Ramli 49’, Irfan Najeeb 55’
BG Tampines never looked back after Kopitović slammed them ahead from close range and they quickly doubled the lead before half-time with Kweh taking advantage of a Zharfan Rohaizad goalkeeping error to prod home. Kweh then teed up Kopitović for a thumping finish, before Faris curled home a brilliant shot and to make it 4-0. Faris then produced a pinpoint corner for Irfan to nod in and complete the rout.
Facts
- BG Tampines won six straight SPL games for the first time since 2016.
- This is the Sailors’ biggest domestic defeat since their 2020 inception, surpassing the 4-0 defeat to the Stags that year.
- Kopitović has now netted in each of his eight appearances this season, tallying a total of 10 goals.
- This is already Kweh’s and Irfan’ best-ever scoring seasons, with three goals apiece.
- Sailors’ Rui Pires made his first-ever SPL appearance, a year after signing for the club.
Sailors: Zharfan Rohaizad (GK), Hafiz Nor (Christopher van Huizen 54’), Lionel Tan (Song Uiyoung 46’), Bailey Wright, Toni Datković, Sergio Carmona Pérez, Hariss Harun (C) (Rui Pires 65’), Anumanthan Kumar (Hami Syahin 54’), Maxime Lestienne, Shawal Anuar, Lennart Thy (Haiqal Pashia 74’).
Unused subs: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Bill Mamadou, Nur Muhammad Asis, Nathan Mao.
BG Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK) (C), Irfan Najeeb, Shuya Yamashita, Miloš Zlatković, Amirul Adli (Taufik Suparno 69’), Glenn Kweh (Syahrul Sazali 86’), Shah Shahiran, Kyoga Nakamura, Faris Ramli (Saifullah Akbar 69’), Seia Kunori (Caelan Cheong 86’), Boris Kopitović (Yasir Hanapi 74’).
Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Kegan Phang, Thanet Suknate, Kieran Tan.
BG Tampines Rovers players celebrating a goal against Lion City Sailors, 18 July 2024
White Swans rediscover groove
Albirex 7-2 Balestier | Jurong East | 18 July
Shingo Nakano 10’, 61’, 76’, Arya Igami Tarhani 17’, Daniel Goh 44’, 65’, 73’ | Kodai Tanaka 11’, Jordan Emaviwe 81’
Nakano’s opener for Albirex was quickly cancelled out by Tanaka’s clinical finish off Ismail Sassi’s low cross. However, it was one-way traffic for the White Swans thereafter – Igami slammed home from a tight angle, before Goh fired in a crisp volley to make it 3-1. Nakano then capitalised on a Hafiz Ahmad goalkeeping error, before Goh added another two goals from close range to complete his hat-trick and extend the lead to 6-1. Nakano then fired in between Hafiz’s legs to get a hat-trick himself as Keiji Shigetomi’s second spell in charge of the White Swans got off to a flyer, with Jordan then netting a late consolation for Balestier.
Facts
- Albirex scored seven goals in this game, after netting only seven in their first seven matches of the season.
- Albirex scored seven goals in a game for the first time since August 2022 in a 7-1 win over Young Lions.
- Goh netted his first-ever professional hat-trick.
- Balestier’s Reycredo Bukit made his SPL debut.
Albirex: Hassan Sunny (GK), Junki Yoshimura, Koki Kawachi, Stevia Egbus Mikuni, Gareth Low, Syed Firdaus Hassan (Hilman Norhisam 83’), Ho Wai Loon (C) (Arshad Shamim 56’), Arya Igami Tarhani (Daniel Martens 83’), Daniel Goh (Haziq Kamarudin 80’), Shingo Nakano (Syukri Bashir 80’), Shuhei Hoshino.
Unused subs: Dylan Pereira (GK), Zainol Gulam (GK), Idraki Adnan, Kenji Austin.
Balestier: Hafiz Ahmad (GK), Darren Teh, Amer Hakeem (Ignatius Ang 46’), Tajeli Salamat, Madhu Mohana, Jordan Emaviwe, Harith Kanadi (Amirudin Asraf 66’), Alen Kozar (C) (Reycredo Bukit 76’), Ismail Sassi, Riku Fukashiro, Kodai Tanaka.
Unused subs: Martyn Mun (GK), Wayne Chew (GK), Emmeric Ong, Elijah Lim, Fudhil I’yadh, Irfan Mika’il.
Albirex Niigata (S)’s Daniel Goh in action against Balestier Khalsa, 18 July 2024
Eagles continue to fly
Geylang 5-3 Tanjong Pagar | Jalan Besar | 19 July
Tomoyuki Doi 25’, 72’, Ryoya Taniguchi 65’, Naqiuddin Eunos 90’, Naufal Azman 90’+8 | Salif Cissé 18’, Faizal Roslan 40’, Sahil Suhaimi 45’+1
Cissé’s long-range shot gave Tanjong Pagar was cancelled out by Doi’s thunderous strike from the edge of the box, but the Jaguars then retook the lead with Faizal nodding in Tomoki Wada’s corner before Sahil headed in Zenivio Mota’s teasing cross to make it 3-1. However, the Eagles launched a fightback – with Taniguchi pulling one back through a calm finish, before Doi fired in a clinical second to level matters. Naqiuddin then popped up at the back post to put Mohd Noor Ali’s men ahead, before super-sub Naufal sealed the three points in injury time.
Facts
- Geylang are unbeaten in eight games in a season for the first time since 2010.
- Geylang have now scored 34 goals in eight games this season.
- This is the Eagles’ first win over Tanjong Pagar since July 2022.
- Doi has now scored 44 goals in 43 SPL appearances.
- Naqiuddin now has four goals for the season, after scoring just two in his previous six SPL seasons with different clubs.
Geylang: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Joshua Pereira (C) (Naufal Azman 90’+5), Rio Sakuma, Keito Hariya, Shakir Hamzah, Takahiro Tezuka, Vincent Bezecourt, Naqiuddin Eunos, Ryoya Taniguchi, Iqbal Hussain (Zikos Chua 85’), Tomoyuki Doi.
Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Akmal Azman, Faisal Shahril, Ahmad Syahir, Raiyan Noor, Hud Ismail, Tariq Shahid.
Tanjong Pagar: Prathip Ekamparam (GK), Zenivio Mota, Pathy Malumandsoko, Faizal Roslan (C), Azim Akbar (Saiful Azhar 76’), Rezza Rezky (Syahadat Masnawi 87’), Tomoki Wada, Stefan Paunović, Shodai Nishikawa, Sahil Suhaimi, Salif Cissé (Ahmad Danial 46’).
Unused subs: Fashah Iskandar (GK), Riki Kimura (GK), Aloysius Pang, Ihsan Hadi, Arsyad Basiron.
Geylang International’s Vincent Bezecourt in action against Tanjong Pagar United, 19 July 2024
Cheetahs still waiting for first win
DPMM 1-1 Hougang | Bandar Seri Begawan | 19 July
Nazirrudin Ismail 62’ | Stjepan Plazonja 43’
Plazonja’s free-kick squirmed under DPMM goalkeeper Kristijan Naumovski and the Cheetahs had looked good to claim their first win of the season, until a Nazrul Nazari error led to Nazirrudin lashing a grounder in between Kenji Rusydi’s legs to salvage a point for the home side.
Facts
- Hougang are still the only side yet to win a game this season – every other team has at least two victories.
- Hougang are on four points after their opening eight matches – an identical tally to their 2023 season.
- DPMM are winless in their last six matches after winning their first two matches of the season.
DPMM: Kristijan Naumovski (GK), Syafiq Safiuddin (Hanif Hamir 57’), Yura Indera Putera (Nazry Aiman 89’), Nurikhwan Othman, Najib Tarif (Abdul Mu’iz Sisa 66’), Farshad Noor, Gabriel Gama, Azwan Ali Rahman (C) (Azwan Saleh 89’), Hakeme Yazid, Miguel Oliveira, Nazirrudin Ismail.
Unused subs: Haimie Nyaring (GK), Faturrahman Embran, Haziq Naqiuddin, Abdul Hariz Herman.
Hougang: Kenji Rusydi (GK) (Zaiful Nizam 72’), Adam Reefdy (Nazhiim Harman 64’), Ensar Brunčević, Danish Irfan, Ismail Salihović, Shodai Yokoyama, Nazrul Nazari (C), Shahdan Sulaiman, Hazzuwan Halim (Petar Banović 72’), Stjepan Plazonja (Gabriel Quak 84’), Dejan Račić (Ajay Robson 72’)
Unused subs: Keith Chung (GK), Jordan Vestering, Justin Hui, Zamani Zamri.
Hougang United’s Stjepan Plazonja celebrates scoring against Brunei DPMM, 19 July 2024
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