Harimau Muda vs Tampines Rovers
(May 29, Thursday, 7.30pm, Jalan Besar Stadium)
Written by: Muhammad Yazid
Despite being rooted to the bottom of the table in the S.League, Harimau Muda’s hopes of proving something in the football scene in Singapore have not completely vanished as they prepare to put on a good run in the RHB Singapore Cup.
Facing Tampines Rovers at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday, Harimau will hope to progress to the quarter-finals at the very least to show that they too are a force to be reckoned with.
It is no different from what the Stags are looking forward to as they set aside their league aspirations and too looked forward to progression.
Under new coach Rafi Ali, Tampines have not suffered a single defeat and tasted victory last week against the Courts Young Lions in a narrow 2-1 scoreline.
With strikers like Miljan Mrdakovic and Aleksandar Duric being supported by Shahdan Sulaiman, Luis Closa and Roberto Martinez, there is no doubt Rafi’s charges will bang in goals, in what expected to be a goal-galore match.
The Young Tigers would do well to keep an eye on the aforementioned players, if their memories of the previous match between these two sides are still fresh.
Harimau were enjoying a two-goal lead until ten minutes to go, when they conceded three late goals in the last ten minutes to capitulate to the reigning league champions
The Malaysians’ first points of the season took a long while to come, as they beat Woodlands Wellington 1-0 only towards the end of the first round.
Progressively they went on to beat Tanjong Pagar United as well but fell to Albirex Niigata (S) most recently to stay at the bottom of the table.
The youngsters seem to have slowly settled down in the season, and they will be keen in maintaining that form to have a chance of achieving a result against Tampines.
Suspension: Mohamad Ashmawi (Harimau Muda)
Harimau Muda – LWWLL
23/4/14 Harimau Muda 1-4 Albirex Niigata (S)
16/5/14 Tanjong Pagar United 1-2 Harimau Muda
7/5/14 Harimau Muda 1-0 Woodlands Wellington
30/4/14 Balestier Khalsa 2-0 Harimau Muda
24/4/14 Harimau Muda 3-4 Hougang United
Tampines Rovers – WDDDD
23/4/14 Courts Young Lions 1-2 Tampines Rovers
18/5/14 Home United 2-2 Tampines Rovers
8/5/14 Tampines Rovers 3-3 Warriors FC
1/5/14 Tampines Rovers 1-1 Albirex Niigata (S)
25/4/14 Tanjong Pagar United 1-1 Tampines Rovers