Tomoyuki Doi (10) celebrates after scoring what proved to be the winning goal for Albirex

SINGAPORE, 14 NOVEMBER 2020 – A new leader emerged over the weekend as Albirex Niigata (S) took advantage of Tampines Rovers dropping points again to displace them. Fellow title challengers Lion City Sailors also closed the gap at the top, while Hougang United returned to winning ways with a resounding victory over the Young Lions with just six games to go. We recap all the action below…

 

Long overdue win at Hougang for Cheetahs
Hougang 4-1 Young Lions | Hougang | 12 Nov
Zachary Anderson 17’, Charlie Machell 47’, Shawal Anuar 80’, Anders Aplin 84’ | Jacob Mahler pen. 29’

After a three-match win-less streak, Hougang were determined to rediscover the winning formula. Strapping Australian centre-back Anderson opened the scoring for the Cheetahs with a clever back-header, but the Young Lions pulled level through Jacob Mahler’s penalty. The home side were reduced to 10 men after Shahfiq Ghani’s second bookable offence, but managed to retake the lead through a stunning 20-yard free-kick from substitute Machell that left Ridhwan Fikri rooted to the spot. With Hami Syahin’s sending off then wiping out the Young Lions’ numerical advantage, the Cheetahs sealed the victory with two late goals. Shawal fired an unerring finish into the bottom left corner, before centre-back Aplin raced half the length of the pitch to thump in a brilliant left-footed effort from the edge of the box.

 

Facts

• Hougang ended a run of 15 league games without a win at Hougang Stadium.
• Anderson’s strike was only Hougang’s second first-half goal in their last 16 games at the venue.
• Hougang converted four out of seven shot attempts.
• Hougang have scored four goals in each of the last three encounters.
• Hougang have conceded at least one goal against Young Lions for eight games in a row.
• Hougang have scored from two direct free-kicks this season – no side has more.
• This is the first time two centre-backs have scored for Hougang in a single game since their inception in 2011.
• Mahler has scored four goals in his last four matches against Hougang.
• Hougang’s Lionel Tan has ended up on the winning side in his last three appearances in this fixture – he was a starter for the Young Lions’ in their 2-1 and 1-0 victories over the Cheetahs in 2019.
• Daniel Ong made his first league appearance since August 2016 when he started for Balestier in a 2-1 loss to Geylang at Bedok.
• Emmeric Ong made his first Hougang appearance since June 2011 when he started in their 4-2 win over Balestier at Toa Payoh.
• Shahfiq got his first red card since September 2012 when he was sent off for the Young Lions in their 3-1 defeat to Brunei DPMM.

 

Hougang: Daniel Ong (GK), Nazrul Nazari, Anders Aplin, Lionel Tan, Zachary Anderson, Faiz Salleh (C) (Fabian Kwok 71’), Nikesh Singh (Charlie Machell 46’), Afiq Noor (Justin Hui 88’), Shahfiq Ghani, Farhan Zulkifli (Naufal Azman 90’+1), Shawal Anuar (Emmeric Ong 88’).
Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Maksat Dzhakybaliev.

Young Lions: Ridhwan Fikri (GK), Irfan Najeeb (Sahffee Jubpre 65’), Syed Akmal, Amer Hakeem (Harhys Stewart 86’), Danish Irfan, Jacob Mahler (C), Ryhan Stewart (Marc Ryan Tan 86’), Hami Syahin, Nur Adam Abdullah (Idraki Adnan 56’), Amirul Haikal, Khairin Nadim (Ilhan Fandi 65’).
Unused subs: Nurshafiq Zainal (GK), Zamani Zamri.

 

Careless Stags drop points again
Balestier 2-2 Tampines | Bishan | 12 Nov
Šime Žužul 45’, 55’ | Ryaan Sanizal 5’, Boris Kopitovic pen. 18’

Tampines dropped points for a second week running and that looked unlikely after a bright start. Teenage full-back Ryaan volleyed the Stags ahead after Zehrudin Mehmedović’s snapshot was parried by Zaiful Nizam, before Kopitovic dusted himself off after being felled by Ahmad Syahir to convert from the spot. However, Balestier managed to grab a lifeline just before half-time through Žužul’s classy lob off Shuhei Hoshino’s knock-on. The Croatian adroitly nodded home his second of the night after Hoshino’s initial shot was pushed into his path by Syazwan Buhari and even though Tampines huffed and puffed, they could not find a winner.

 

Facts

• Tampines let slip a two-goal lead to concede points for the first time since a 3-3 draw against Geylang in February 2016.
• Tampines have failed to win their last two games after leading in each.
• The last two times in which Balestier lost 7-1 (against Brunei DPMM in April 2019 and against Sailors in November 2020), they have drawn with Tampines in the following league game.
• Balestier have scored in the second half in each of their last seven games.
• Balestier scored twice from six attempts, while Tampines scored two from 14.
• Tampines have scored in 28 SPL games in a row.
• Balestier have let in 12 goals in the last three games without the injured Ensar Brunčević, after conceding just five in the first five games with him.
• Balestier conceded within the opening 10 minutes for a third time this season, more than any other side.
• Žužul’s second was the first headed goal that Tampines have conceded this season.
• Žužul’s last five goals in all competitions came at Bishan.
• Kopitovic scored in successive league games for Tampines for the first time.
• Ryaan scored his first professional goal.
• R. Aaravin made his first league start since October 2018 in Young Lions’ 3-1 loss away at Brunei DPMM.
• Fadli Kamis made his 100th league appearance for Balestier.
• Jordan Emaviwe made his professional debut.

 

Balestier: Zaiful Nizam (GK)(C), Keshav Kumar (Gaye Sameer 46’), Fadli Kamis, R. Aaravin, Ahmad Syahir, Jordan Emaviwe (Faizal Raffi 61’), Kristijan Krajček, Hazzuwan Halim (Yeo Hai Ngee 76’), Šime Žužul (Aarish Kumar 79’), Karthik Raj (Zulfadhmi Suzliman 46’), Shuhei Hoshino.
Unused subs: Zacharial Leong (GK), Jufri Taha.

Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK), Ryaan Sanizal (Baihakki Khaizan 57’), Madhu Mohana, Daniel Bennett (C), Syahrul Sazali, Kyoga Nakamura, Shah Shahiran, Zehrudin Mehmedović (Yasir Hanapi 78’), Irwan Shah (Huzaifah Aziz 78’ (Taufik Suparno 86’)), Jordan Webb, Boris Kopitovic.
Unused subs: Zulfairuuz Rudy (GK), Amirul Adli, Danish Siregar.

 

Title-chasing White Swans showing grit
Geylang 0-1 Albirex | Our Tampines Hub | 13 Nov
Tomoyuki Doi 3’

After losing their last two encounters at this venue in 2019, Albirex were determined to change their fortunes and they got off to the best possible start by scoring inside three minutes. Doi whipped home a neat free-kick from 25 yards out, which Hairul Syirhan failed to keep out at his near post after Ryoya Taniguchi was brought down by Geylang captain Yuki Ichikawa. The hosts rallied as Iqbal Hussain forced a save from Kei Okawa, before fellow substitute Khairul Nizam thrashed off-target from close range. Ichikawa then nodded Harith Kanadi’s deep cross agonisingly wide in injury time as the White Swans held on to leapfrog Tampines into top spot on goal difference.

 

Facts

• Doi is the fifth player to score a direct free-kick goal this season.
• At two minutes and 18 seconds, Doi’s goal is the fastest to be scored this season.
• Doi has scored in six out of eight games for Albirex.
• Doi has accumulated the most number of shots in each of his last three matches.
• Geylang have won just one out of their last six matches at OTH.
• Albirex have won four of their last five matches.
• Okawa has kept four clean sheets – second-most in the league behind Syazwan Buhari (5).

 

Geylang: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Darren Teh, Yuki Ichikawa (C), Kamolidin Tashiev (Fareez Farhan 85’), Harith Kanadi, Umar Akhbar (Christopher Van Huizen 75’), Firdaus Kasman, Barry Maguire, Nur Luqman Rahman (Shahrin Saberin 46’), Amy Recha (Iqbal Hussain 46’), Zikos Chua (Khairul Nizam 46’).
Unused subs: Zainol Gulam (GK), Azri Suhaili.

Albirex: Kei Okawa (GK), Kazuki Hashioka (C), Rio Sakuma, Kotaro Takeda, Hiroyoshi Kamata, Kenta Kurishima, Gareth Low (Yasuhiro Hanada 58’), Ryosuke Nagasawa, Fairoz Hasan (Ryuya Mitsuzuka 58’), Ryoya Taniguchi (Mahiro Takahashi 90’+3), Tomoyoki Doi.
Unused subs: Hyrulnizam Juma’at (GK), Iman Hakim, Ren Ishihara, Ong Yu En.

 

Beware, the Sailors are coming
Sailors 6-1 Tanjong Pagar | Bishan | 13 Nov
Kaishu Yamazaki 14’, Stipe Plazibat 18’ pen, 45’ + 2, Song Uiyoung 40, Adam Swandi 83’, 90’ | Suhairi Sabri 51’

Another game, another big win for the Sailors, who are now three points off the top. Japanese centre-back Yamazaki nodded in Shahdan Sulaiman’s corner for his first goal for the club, before Plazibat doubled the lead from the spot after Haiqal Pashia was brought down by Yann Motta. The best goal of the night then came when Song finished off a swift interplay of passes with Plazibat, before the latter produced some individual magic to turn and score despite there being no space seemingly. Tanjong Pagar did show some spirit in the second half and pulled one back through Suhari’s beautiful shot. However, the Sailors ended on a flourish. Super-sub Adam flicked in a header off Shahdan’s teasing cross and added a second by finishing off Gabriel Quak’s intelligent back-heel to pile on the misery for the Jaguars.

 

Facts

• The Sailors have now scored 13 goals in their last two outings.
• Tanjong Pagar are still waiting for their first win since defeating Harimau Muda B 5-0 in October 2014.
• Yamazaki is the 10th different scorer for the Sailors this season – no side has more.
• Plazibat is now on 14 goals, eight clear of nearest challenger Doi.
• Plazibat has 14 goals from 18 shots on target this season.
• In the last eight matches when he has scored, Plazibat has scored more than once (two hat-tricks, six braces).
• Song has scored four goals in his last five matches.
• Adam has scored four goals as a substitute – no other player has more than two.
• Quak and Plazibat went joint-top of the assists chart.
• Shahdan has made three assists from set-pieces this season, more than any other player in the league.
• Suhairi’s first professional goal came against his former employers.
• Joey Sim made his first league appearance since May 2017 when he started in Tampines 4-1 defeat to Albirex at Jurong West.

 

Sailors: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Aqhari Abdullah, Kaishu Yamazaki, Tajeli Salamat (Abdil Qaiyyim 64’), Naqiuddin Eunos , Shahdan Sulaiman (C), Song Uiyoung (Izzdin Shafiq 64’), Saifullah Akbar (Arshad Shamim 85’), Gabriel Quak, Haiqal Pashia (Adam Swandi 46’), Stipe Plazibat (Hafiz Nor 64’).
Unused subs: Hassan Sunny (GK), Faizal Roslan.

Tanjong Pagar: Kenji Rusydi (GK) (Joey Sim 46′), Ammirul Emmran, Delwinder Singh (C), Yann Motta, Takahiro Tanaka, Elfy Danish (Faritz Hameed 62’), Suhairi Sabri (Ribiyanda Saswadimata 83’), Raihan Rahman, Shodai Nishikawa, Nashrul Amin (Luiz Junior 46’), Suria Prakash.
Unused subs: Syabil Hisham, Farihin Farkhan, Hadiputradila Saswadimata.

 

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