Written by: Sebastian Lim

Free-scoring Tampines Rovers thumped Garena Young Lions 6-1 at the Jurong West Stadium on Tuesday night to reduce the gap between them and Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League leaders Albirex Niigata (S) to four points.

Jordan Webb struck a hat-trick as the result also meant Akbar Nawas got his reign as Tampines coach off to the best possible start with two wins in as many games.

Tampines dominated proceedings from the get go and were unlucky not to have gotten the breakthrough just nine minutes in, with Young Lions goalie Benjamin Bertrand denying Hafiz Abu Sujad twice in quick succession.

Three minutes later, the Stags were awarded a penalty after defender Taufiq Muqminin was adjudged to have tripped Hafiz in the box.

Former Liverpool and Arsenal player Jermaine Pennant stepped up but somehow blazed over from 12 yards as the visitors heaved a sigh of relief.

Failing to heed the early warning signs, Young Lions conceded on 20 minutes when Fazrul managed to squeeze a shot from an acute angle which went in via Bertrand’s near post.

Tampines went on to double their lead just five minutes later as Webb coolly slotted past Bertrand after being slipped through by Billy Mehmet.

That sprung the Young Lions into life and they managed to halve the deficit just after the half-hour mark as Fareez Farhan fired home the rebound after Khairul Amri’s shot was parried into his path.

 

They could have been level in the 38th minute but Fareez saw his 30-yard effort beat Joey Sim but not the post.

The developmental outfit were made to pay for that miss just two minutes later, with Tampines skipper Mustafic Fahrudin rising highest to meet Pennant’s corner to send a header into the top corner for a comfortable two-goal lead at half-time.

Tampines showed no signs of relenting and went further in front just three minutes into the second-half.

 

Webb robbed Amirul Adli off the ball on the edge of the area and the Canadian winger went on to gleefully finish past Bertrand as they pulled further away.

Pereira was unlucky not to have pulled one back for the Young Lions in the 66th minute with an effort that came off the bar before substitute Hazim Faiz was denied in an one-on-one by Sim minutes later.

Pennant would then make it 5-1 in the 77th minute, atoning for his earlier penalty miss as he sent Bertrand the wrong way from the spot after being fouled by Rusyaidi Salime in the box.

The scoring was complete ten minutes from time as Webb took down Fabian Kwok’s long ball before rounding Bertrand to tap the ball into an empty net, claiming the match-ball in the process.

Tampines Rovers coach Akbar Nawas: “To be honest, the scoreline was good but I wasn’t quite pleased with our first-half performance because it was too casual. There are certain parts of the game we still need to work on because a quicker team could have punished us today.

“Webb can definitely do better [as a player] but the hat-trick was good especially for his morale. Kudos to Jordan for a job well done.”

Garena Young Lions coach Patrick Hesse: “It was the worst game I have seen [from my team] so far this season and I am very disappointed.

“That’s not the football i wanted from them and i cannot accept this. They lacked the fighting spirit that we showed against teams like Ceres La Selle and most recently Home United. I am hoping we can do better against Brunei DPMM in our next game (on Sunday).”

Tampines Rovers: Joey Sim (GK), Jufri Taha, Mustafic Fahrudin (C), Afiq Yunos, Irwan Shah, Yasir Hanapi (Izzdin Shafiq 46’), Jermaine Pennant (Sufian Anuar 82’), Jordan Webb, Hafiz Abu Sujad, Irwan Shah, Fazrul Nawaz (Fabian Kwok 72’), Billy Mehmet

Garena Young Lions: Benjamin Bertrand (GK), Rusyaidi Salime, Amirul Adli, Taufiq Muqminin (Shannon Stephen 65’), Zakir Shamsudin, Muhaimin Suhaimi (Ryan Syaffiq 74’), Joshua Pereira, Ammirul Emmran, Jonathan Tan, Khairul Amri (C) (Hazim Faiz 62’), Fareez Farhan.