S .LEAGUE - SINGAPORE

  

CHEETAHS FIGHT BACK TO HOLD DPMM TO DRAW

Hougang United overcame the odds to fight back for a 1-1 draw against Brunei DPMM at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last night.

A win for the Brunei side would have propelled them to the top of the table on goal difference, but they now remain in third spot and have gone four Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League games without a victory.

Azwan Ali had given DPMM the lead in the first half before Vuk Sotirovic equalised after the interval to see both teams take a point each out of the match.

The hosts got off to a good start and should have taken the lead in the second minute.

Azwan Ali made a good run into the box before firing at goal only to watch it bounce off the crossbar.

Another chance went begging five minutes later after Shahrazen Said, who was making his first start of the season, could not get a good touch on the flick on despite being in a scoring position.

Hougang got their first shot on target in the 12th minute with Vuk Sotirovic firing from the edge of the box but it went straight at DPMM custodian Wardun Yusof.

They troubled again two minutes later after a miskick by Sairol inside the box fell for Yuki Uchiyama but he failed to put his attempt on target.

DPMM got another opportunity in the 18th minute after Brian McLean met an Azwan free-kick but he watched it float just wide of the post.

Hendra Azam tried one from long range in the 23rd minute but it was deflected just wide.

DPMM finally broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute after Azwan had his initial attempt inside the box blocked by Tengku Mushahdad. However, the rebound fell back for him to fire past Hougang goalkeeper Ridhuan Barudin.

The hosts should have doubled the lead just two minutes later with Rafael Ramazotti getting on the end of a Shahrazen cross from the right but it went inches over the bar.

The hosts should have added to their tally just two minutes into the second half with Aminuddin Zakwan setting up Hendra at the edge of box but Ridhuan went full stretch to put the ball over the bar.

The Wasps continued to pressure Hougang and spent most of their time in the opposition half but they were unable to find the finishing touch.

Hougang threatened in the 62nd minute with Uchiyama delivering a dangerous ball into the box from the right but Sotirovic completely missed his bicycle kick.

The Cheetahs found the equaliser in the 69th minute off a counter attack with Sotirovic getting the better of Sairol before firing past Wardun at the near post.

The game could have gone either way thereafter but DPMM looked the more likely to get all three points.

Azwan Ali almost put DPMM back in front in the 89th minute but Ridhuan dived down to deny him at the near post.

Hougang were made to soak up the pressure late in injury time and the Hougang custodian came to the rescue of the Cheetahs to deny Azwan Ali from close range so that both teams shared the spoils.

STAGS CONTINUE FINE FORM WITH VICTORY OVER EAGLES

Written by: Nigel Chin

Tampines Rovers made it three league wins in a row on Wednesday evening with a comfortable 2-0 win over Geylang International.

A goal each from Ismadi Mukhtar and Matteo Roskam sent the Stags into fourth spot, just four points behind league leaders Warriors FC.

The win sets Tampines up for a vital clash with Brunei DPMM on Saturday, where a victory will lift the five-time S.League champions into the top three for the first time this season.

The hosts showed a sign of things just four minutes into the game when Roberto Alviz picked out Ismadi inside the box with a free-kick, and the right winger forced Yazid Yasin into a save.

But Geylang did not heed the warnings and conceded in the eighth minute after Roskam flicked on Zulfadli Zainal’s cross to Ismadi and he duly volleyed home from a tight angle.

Tampines continued to pile on the pressure after the opener, and almost got a second. Rodrigo Tosi reacted quickly to Alviz’s free-kick that came off the wall and sent in a fierce volley but Yazid pulled off an outstanding save to keep the deficit at one goal.

Yazid was called into action once more in the 33rd minute and this time he denied Firdaus Idros’ effort after Roskam flicked on a Ismail Yunos long throw onto his path.

Geylang finally crafted a chance of their own in the 37th minute when Tatsuro Inui played Hafiz Nor through, but the winger fired wide with Tampines goalkeeper Rodrigo Pacheco closing him down.

A minute before half-time, Jozef Kaplan created a chance out of nothing when he spun around Fahrudin Mustafic in the attacking third, but he saw his effort deflected wide by Predrag Pocuca.

The Stags came out of the second half all guns blazing and doubled their lead after five minutes of play.

Roskam towered above the rest as he diverted Alviz’s corner into the top corner for Tampines to hold a two-goal lead.

After a brief disruption caused by floodlights failure, Tampines almost scored a replica of their second goal, but this time Roskam sent his header wide.

Yazid then prevented Tosi from getting onto the score sheet as he blocked the striker’s close-range shot before producing a flying save in the 79th minute to stop Isa Halim’s powerful effort from just outside the box.

A host of substitutions inside the last 10 minutes then disrupted the tempo in the game, and Tampines comfortably saw out the remainder of the game.

Tampines Rovers: Rodrigo Pacheco (GK), Ismail Yunos, Fahrudin Mustafic (C), Predrag Pocuca, Zulfadli Zainal, Ismadi Mukhtar (Ridhuan Muhamad 84’), Isa Halim, Roberto Alviz (Fabian Kwok 86’), Firdaus Idros, Rodrigo Tosi, Matteo Roskam (Noh Alam Shah 88’)

Geylang International: Yazid Yasin (GK), Anaz Hadee (Mustaqim Manzur 80’), Yuki Ichikawa, Kento Fukuda, Syed Thaha, Khairulnizam Jumahat (Shafeeq Faruk 72’), Nor Azli, Tatsuro Inui, Shawal Anuar (Huzaifah Aziz 83’), Hafiz Nor, Jozef Kaplan

TABLE STANDINGS

•  
• P
• W
• D
• L
• GD
• PTS

• 1
• Warriors FC
• 13
• 8
• 1
• 4
• 2
• 25

• 2
• Albirex Niigata FC (S)
• 14
• 7
• 2
• 5
• 5
• 23

• 3
• Brunei DPMM FC
• 12
• 6
• 4
• 2
• 7
• 22

• 4
• Tampines Rovers FC
• 12
• 6
• 2
• 4
• 6
• 20

• 5
• Balestier Khalsa FC
• 12
• 6
• 2
• 4
• 5
• 20

• 6
• Harimau Muda
• 10
• 5
• 1
• 4
• -2
• 16

• 7
• Home United FC
• 14
• 3
• 6
• 5
• -1
• 15

• 8
• Geylang International FC
• 13
• 3
• 3
• 7
• -4
• 12

• 9
• Hougang United FC
• 14
• 2
• 5
• 7
• -10
• 11

• 10
• Courts Young Lions
• 10
• 2
• 2
• 6
• -8
• 8