SINGAPORE, 29 APRIL 2019 – Brunei DPMM and Hougang United played out a five-goal thriller befitting their top-of-table-clash status, with the former eventually prevailing to extend their lead at the top of the table. There was also a goal-fest at Albirex Niigata, though it was a one-sided affair against Home United. Balestier Khalsa returned to action with victory against Warriors, where Hazzuwan Halim scored perhaps the best goal of the week. We recap the weekend’s action below…

Albirex 4-0 Home | Jurong East | 27 April
Kyoga Nakamura pen. 2′, 44′, Daizo Horikoshi 24′, Daniel Martens 35′

Keiji Shigetomi’s men cruised to their biggest win of the season with a remarkable four-goal blitz in the first half to put the game to bed. The irrepressible Kyoga Nakamura was at the heart of everything good for the White Swans and got them underway by winning a penalty within a minute. The former Japan Under-17 international smashed in the spot-kick to set Albirex on their way, with Daizo Horikoshi converting Shoki Ohara’s cross to double the advantage. Horikoshi then saw his shot parried into Daniel Martens’ path for the Singaporean to tap in, before Nakamura crowned his night just before the break. Winning the ball in midfield, the Albirex captain glided past a couple of players before cracking in a 25-yard shot into the bottom left corner with his right foot.

Facts
– Albirex are now unbeaten in 44 games at home in all competitions.
– Albirex are now unbeaten against Home in 10 encounters.
– Albirex took a lead into half-time for the first time this season.
– Nakamura scored his first ever SPL goals.
– Horikoshi is Albirex’s top scorer with three goals.
– Martens scored his first ever professional goal.
– Home have conceded a joint-worst three penalties in the league.           

Albirex XI: Kengo Fukudome (GK), Shuhei Sasahara, Naruki Takahashi, Shoki Ohara, Sota Sugiyama, Kaishu Yamazaki, Daizo Horikoshi, Daniel Martens (Yoshikatsu Hiraga 66’), Zamani Zamri (Daichi Tanabe 46’), Kyoga Nakamura (C)(Kodai Sumikawa 83’), Hiroyoshi Kamata.
Unused subs: Hyrulnizam Juma’at (GK), Firas Irwan, Gamu Tasaka, Shunsuke Fukuda.

Home XI: Nazri Sabri (GK), Faritz Hameed, Faizal Roslan (Ho Wai Loon 70’), Abdil Qaiyyim, Juma’at Jantan, Aqhari Abdullah, Hami Syahin (Amiruldin Asraf 86’), Iqram Rifqi (Hafiz Nor 57’), Adam Swandi, Oliver Puflett, Song Uiyoung. 
Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Isaka Cernak, Nur Hizami, Muhelmy Suhaimi.

Balestier 2-1 Warriors | Bishan | 28 April
Hazzuwan Halim 46′, Sanjin Vrebac 60′ | Jonathan Behe 77′

Hazzuwan Halim struck a splendid lobbed finish to lead Balestier to victory against the nine-time champions, breaking the deadlock after a drab first half. Illyas Lee’s searching 60-yard pass out from the back was killed dead with a brilliant first touch; the next was even better as the pint-sized attacker lofted the ball with his left foot over Fashah Iskandar for an outrageous goal. The Tigers’ second goal was a fine one too, as Sameer Alassane streaked past his man on the left before cutting the ball back for Sanjin Vrebac to welly it into the bottom left corner from 25 yards. Khairul Nizam’s perfect cross set up Jonathan Behe to head in his second goal of the season but the hosts held on to go fifth.

Facts
– Balestier won for the first time in four games.
– Hazzuwan has equalled his league tally from 2018.
– Balestier have conceded a joint-worst five headers in the league.
– Behe has now scored in each of his last four games against Balestier, tallying six goals.
– Warriors have not won any of their last 13 league games.
– Warriors have not kept a clean sheet in 15 games in all competitions.  

Balestier XI: Naqiuddin Nodin (GK), Fadli Kamis (C), Nurullah Hussein, Illyas Lee, Ahmad Syahir, Daniel Goh, Khalili Khalif, Huzaifah Aziz, Sameer Alassane (Fariz Faizal 77’), Sanjin Vrebac (Akbar Shah 68’), Hazzuwan Halim (Fazli Shafie 86’).
Unused subs: Faris Danial (GK), Goh Yi Qi, Šime Žužul, Sufianto Salleh.

Warriors XI: Fashah Iskandar (GK), Daniel Shafiq, Delwinder Singh, Kento Fukuda (Emmeric Ong 41’), Sahil Suhaimi (C), Jonathan Behe, Ryhan Stewart (Ignatius Ang 52’), Khairul Nizam, Tajeli Salamat, Gabriel Quak, Faizal Raffi (Fairoz Hasan 66’). 
Unused subs: Riki Kimura (GK), Poh Yi Feng, Suria Prakash, Aarish Kumar.

DPMM 3-2 Hougang | Hassanal Bolkiah | 28 April
Blake Ricciuto 20′, Andrei Varankou pen. 65′, Hendra Azam 90’+3 | Stipe Plazibat 53′, pen. 56′

Fans certainly got a treat in this battle of the early title contenders as a ding-dong affair took place in Brunei. Adrian Pennock’s league leaders came out strongly and broke the deadlock, albeit with a hint of fortune, as Charlie Clough’s innocuous header was not dealt with and fell for Blake Ricciuto to crash in from close range. Stipe Plazibat was foiled by Wardun Yussof in a one-on-one situation as Hougang searched for the equaliser but the Croatian was not to be denied when another bite at the cherry presented itself. A deft flick from Amir Zalani was met by an equally adroit touch by Plazibat, who poked the ball past Wardun to level matters. DPMM were rocked barely three minutes later when Faris Ramli was felled in the box, which allowed Plazibat to put away the penalty. But the lead did not last. Despite the Cheetahs’ protests, a handball decision paved the way for Andrei Varankou to empathically equalise from the spot. The sting in the tail came right at the end when Hendra Azam’s deep free-kick took a bounce and nestled into the right corner, sending the home side wild.  

Facts
– DPMM are on a club-record 15-game unbeaten streak.
– DPMM have now won their last three home games against Hougang.
– DPMM conceded their first set-piece goal.
– DPMM have scored four goals in second-half injury time, the most in the league.
– Hendra became the third DPMM player to score a match-winning goal; no other team has more than two players.
– Varankou scored his 11^th goal of the season; he has scored all four of his penalties, a league-best.

DPMM XI: Wardun Yussof (GK)(C), Abdul Mu’iz Sisa, Charlie Clough, Yura Indera Putera, Nurikhwan Othman, Helmi Zambin (Awangku Fakharrazi 37’), Andrei Varankou, Abdul Azizi Rahman (Razimee Ramlli 70’), Blake Ricciuto, Shah Razen Said (Azwan Saleh 60’), Hendra Azam.
Unused subs: Haimie Nyaring (GK), Suhaimi Sulau, Hazwan Hamzah, Shafie Efenddy.

Hougang XI: Khairulhin Khalid (GK), Muhaimin Suhaimi, Kong Howon, Afiq Yunos, Jordan Vestering (Hafiz Sujad 51’), Nikesh Singh (Fabian Kwok 73’), Zulfahmi Arifin (C), M. Anumanthan, Amir Zalani (Shahfiq Ghani 85’), Faris Ramli, Stipe Plazibat. 
Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Alif Iskandar, Fazrul Nawaz, Timothy Yeo.

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