Written By: Kenneth Ho

Geylang International coach Jorg Steinebrunner was pleased with how his team bounced back from a 4-3 defeat to Albirex Niigata last time out to eke out a 1-1 draw with Tanjong Pagar United.

The coach was fuming after his players contrived to throw away a three-goal lead against the Japanese side in their last game, as he blasted his squad for doing so at the end of that game.

However, Steinebrunner was visibly calmer on Friday evening after the stalemate with Tanjong Pagar, as he praised his team for showing a good response to that morale-crushing defeat.

“When some teams lose 4-3, they close the shop and say let’s not concede a goal, but my teams are never like that, we want to win the games,” Steinebrunner added.

While the German was satisfied with how his players performed, he lamented about how his side should have secured maximum points after having the better chances in what was a tight game.

“We played football, we were the dominant team, it was points lost today. But  it is a positive result, and I think we can build upon it,” he said.

“In the first minute we should have already scored, I think not only that one, the goalkeeper made a few good saves where we could have scored.”

Tanjong Pagar continued its unwanted history of never triumphing against Geylang at Bedok Stadium, but coach Patrick Vallee was nonetheless pleased with the result.

With the unavailability of several first-teamers, Vallee added that it was important that his players to stick to his tactical plans which allowed them to secure a good point.

“I am happy with how we played the game, because in the first half we wanted to be focused and sit back, in the second we wanted to push up a bit more and create some chances but in the end it was 1-1. But it was a good result,” Vallee shared.

“My players respected the plan, that is the most important. I know we must close them in the first half because they tried to push up, so I didn’t want to give them space.”