Written by: Ryan Low

Warriors FC vs Tampines Rovers

(Friday, 12 Aug, 7.30pm, Choa Chu Kang Stadium)

Title-chasing Tampines Rovers will be gunning for a sixth straight Great Eastern-Yeo’s S.League victory when they take on an out-of-sorts Warriors FC side at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Friday night.

The Stags have been revitalised under coach Akbar Nawas, stringing together five consecutive wins to whittle down Albirex Niigata (S)’s  lead at the top to just a point.

In last week’s 2-1 victory against rivals Geylang International, the Jurong West-based side showed maturity to see out the game after coming under incessant late pressure from the Eagles.

As usual, it was the foreign duo of Jordan Webb and Billy Mehmet who produced the goods upfront. However, credit also have to go to the likes of Jufri Taha and Mustafic Fahrudin who held the fort well.

All in all, it looks like a pretty happy Stags camp that are ready for their triple assault of the S.League, Singapore Cup and AFC Cup.

One minor blemish though is that key man Jermaine Pennant will miss out on this upcoming game due to a one-match suspension for accumulating four yellow cards.

On the other hand, it is not so merry over at the Warriors after suffering five successive defeats in all competitions.

The nine-time champions welcomed back several first teamers such as Yazid Yasin, Zulfadli Zainal Abidin, Madhu Mohana and Jonathan Behe against Home United the last time out, but still ended up being thumped 3-0.

The result severely dented their aspirations of attaining a top-three finish as they currently trail third-placed Home United and fourth-placed Brunei DPMM by seven points with just seven games left to play.

If not careful, they might just finish in the bottom two positions. That would be a real disastrous outcome for a club so accustomed to success in their history in the S.League.

Thus it is imperative that the Warriors arrest this alarming run of form before they slip further behind. Razif Onn’s men will have to do so without the services of Hafiz Osman though, with the centre back ruled out through suspension.

Suspensions: Hafiz Osman (Warriors FC), Jermaine Pennant (Tampines Rovers)

Warriors FC – LLLLL

04/08/16   Home United 3-0 Warriors FC (S.League)

25/07/16   Geylang International 1-0 Warriors FC (League Cup)

21/07/16   Hougang United 4-1 Warriors FC (League Cup)

17/07/16  Warriors FC 0-3 Tampines Rovers (League Cup)

13/07/16  Brunei DPMM 4-0 Warriors FC (League Cup)

Tampines Rovers – WWLLW

04/08/16   Tampines Rovers 2-1 Geylang International (S.League)

26/07/16   Albirex Niigata (S) 4-0 Tampines Rovers (League Cup)

21/07/16  Brunei DPMM 2-1 Tampines Rovers (League Cup)

17/07/16  Warriors FC 0-3 Tampines Rovers (League Cup)

13/07/16  Tampines Rovers 6-4 Hougang United (League Cup)

Head to Head (S.League)

17/05/16  Warriors FC 0-0 Tampines Rovers

30/04/16  Tampines Rovers 4-2 Warriors FC

02/11/15  Tampines Rovers 0-0 Warriors FC

07/08/15  Warriors FC 2-1 Tampines Rovers

17/04/15  Tampines Rovers 2-3 Warriors FC