Tampines Rovers FC defender Daniel Bennett wants the team stop conceding soft goals.

SINGAPORE, 15 JUNE 2018 – Warriors FC are in for a tough Great Eastern-Hyundai Singapore Premier League (SPL) game when they take to Our Tampines Hub this Sunday, 17 June as they face an in-form Tampines Rovers FC at 5.30pm.

BACKGROUND Both teams played out a goal-less draw earlier in the season but it will be a major surprise if the same occurred this weekend.

Tampines have been on a roll with four consecutive victories, allowing them to stay within touching distance of relentless league leaders Albirex Niigata FC (S).

This does not bode well for the visiting Warriors, even though they just secured their first win of the season in a 2-0 win over cellar-dwellers Hougang United FC.

It was a triumph that ended the Warriors’ worst-ever start to a season, but it came against arguably the weakest team in the league right now.

The result might be a real morale-booster but the Warriors know that they toiled to victory and their performance will have to improve vastly if they are to end the Stags’ winning streak.

In particular, the Warriors need to bolster their striking options to pose a threat to the side with the second-best defence in the league. Tampines have only conceded nine goals currently, two more than Albirex.

They will also need to be wary of Tampines’ strike-force, with Khairul Amri and Fazrul Nawaz in red-hot form of late.

In Tampines’ last game against Hougang, each of them scored to earn a 2-0 win; Amri now has six goals to his name while Fazrul can claim five.

TEAM NEWS
Both teams will be missing a player due to suspension, with Shameer Aziq sitting out for the Stags while Poh Yi Feng will do likewise for Warriors.

On the injury front for the hosts, Shannon Stephen and Safirul Sulaiman are still on the treatment table while Irfan Najeeb’s involvement remains to be seen. Khairul Nizam will also miss out for the Warriors.

FORM GUIDE
Tampines: LWWWW
Warriors: DLLDW

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
21/04/18: Warriors 0-0 Tampines – Singapore Premier League
20/09/17: Tampines 1-1 Warriors – Singapore Premier League
22/06/17: Warriors 0-1 Tampines – Singapore Premier League
01/04/17: Tampines 0-1 Warriors – Singapore Premier League
12/08/16: Warriors 2-3 Tampines – Singapore Premier League

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR
Khairul Amri – Tampines
After being hit with a two-match suspension, Amri has returned with a vengeance and hit two goals in his last three appearances. The Singapore international has a penchant for the spectacular and you would not put it beyond him to clinch a winner in that manner.

Jonathan Behe – Warriors
Can you look past the striker at his moment? Behe currently has struck seven times in eight appearances and his movement and aerial ability is a huge asset to the Warriors.

WHAT ELSE THEY SAID
Tampines defender Daniel Bennett: “I would rather have the best defence in the league. The goals we have conceded have been soft and we need to stop them. I think from the first game against Warriors, we know how competitive they are. They have been unfortunate with some results and deserve to be a little higher up the table. Playing at home, I would hope we have an advantage but they have a few danger-men we must be wary of.”

Warriors forward Jonathan Behe: “Indeed we are in confidence and we expected this first victory over Hougang since it’s been a long time that we won. I think we can score against any team; we already proved that against Albirex. It will be a good meeting and I hope that it will be our second victory.”

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