Written by: Phoon Jia Hui

Home United’s Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League title chances suffered a dent as they fell 3-0 to an energetic Courts Young Lions side at Bishan Stadium on Thursday evening.

Strikes from Shameer Aziq, Sahil Suhaimi and Jordan Webb – all scored in the second-half – were enough for the developmental side to notch all three points which saw them leapfrog Woodlands Wellington into tenth on goal difference.

The Protectors named an unchanged starting line-up from their last game as they started the game with real intent, with Lee Kwan Woo forcing Young Lions goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari into an early save after four minutes.

It was end-to-end stuff thereafter as both teams took turns to have a pop at goal.

In the seventh minute, Sahil nicked the ball off Masrezwan Masturi and raced through on goal but could only fire straight at Shahril Jantan.

Sirina Camara then shot wide from inside the box a quarter of an hour into the match before Iqbal Hussain’s freekick had Shahril flying to make a save from his freekick.

Shahril had to be quick off his line to deny Sahil after the forward was slipped through by Webb in the 25th minute and moments later, Kwon Dakyung was unlucky not to have put Home ahead when he nodded a header onto the bar.

Home continued to make several forays into the Young Lions’ defensive third but were time and again denied by Syazwan who repelled everything which came his way.

The 22-year-old shot-stopper flew across to keep out Lee’s fierce freekick just after the half-hour mark before parrying Bruno Castanheira’s in the 40th minute as the scores were tied at the break.

Home coach Lee Lim Saeng pushed Song Inyoung upfront after the restart in search of a goal but instead, they found themselves behind in the 53rd minute as the deadlock was finally broken.

It was Webb who slipped substitute Shameer through and the former Hougang United Prime League player proceeded to lob a shot beyond the flailing arms of Shahril to make it 1-0.

The hosts nearly replied six minutes later when Castanheira headed a loose ball goalward but Young Lions skipper Al-Qaasimy Rahman came to the rescue as he hacked it off the line.

Trailing by a goal, things then got from bad to worse for Home as they were reduced to ten man after Yasir Hanapi was dismissed for a second bookable offence on 79 minutes.

With their numerical advantage, Aide Iskandar’s side pushed forward and were rewarded with their second of the night as Sahil pounced on a loose ball outside the box before curling a finish into the bottom corner for his ninth of the season.

Lee Kwan Woo could have pulled one back for Home six minutes from time when he unleashed a rocket shot from distance, but it beat Syazwan and not the post.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Webb then sealed victory for the Young Lions with an exceptional goal.

After winning possession on the edge of his own box, the Canadian winger dribbled the ball the length of the field, leaving defenders in his wake as he then rounded Shahril before slotting the ball into an unguarded net to cap off an impressive night for the visitors.

With this result, Home slipped to fifth after Albirex Niigata (S) beat Geylang International 4-3 in another match played on the same day.