HOME EXTEND UNBEATEN STREAK TO EIGHT
Written by: Nigel Chin
Second-half goals from Azhar Sairudin and Ambroise Begue helped the Protectors to their fifth league victory of the season, and they closed the gap on league leaders Brunei DPMM to single digits, although they still remain in sixth spot.
The last time both sides met in April, it was the Young Lions who emerged 1-0 victors to achieve their first three points of the season.
It was almost a familiar setting this time around as the Young Lions dominated the first half, but they ultimately paid the price for not taking their chances.
Jordan Webb had the first real chance in the game 11 minutes into the game, but he screwed his shot wide against his former team after Afiq Noor found him with a superb ball over the top.
Ten minutes later, Afiq set up Amy Recha inside the box, but the forward was foiled by Home custodian Shahril Jantan who raced off his line to prevent the Recha from pulling the trigger. The rebound fell kindly for Sherif El-Masri, but the Canadian’s effort was cleared off the line by R. Aaravin.
The visitors were struggling to get onto the ball and were relying on counter-attacks to break down their younger opponents, but Ilso failed to convert those chances.
A through-ball from Stanely Ng sent the Danish striker through, but his effort was well-blocked by Anumanthan. Four minutes later, Kamel Ramdani picked out Ilso beautifully, only for him to see his volley palmed away by Syazwan Buhari.
The Protectors seized the initiative after the restart however, and duly went ahead just six minutes into the second period through a superb individual effort from Azhar Sairudin.
After exchanging a couple of one-twos with Ilso, the midfielder sprinted down almost half the length of the pitch into the box and rifled a shot into the top corner from an acute angle.
Nine minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead from a similar fashion. This time, it was Begue who exchanged a one-two with Ilso, before putting the ball beyond Syazwan’s reach into the bottom corner from just inside the box.
The hosts could have pulled one back in the 63rd minute after a mix-up inside the box between R. Aaravin and Shahrin Saberin gave Shameer Aziq the ball, but he was denied by Shahril. The rebound fell kindly for Webb, who smashed his effort against the upright.
Missing that chance took the sting out of the hosts’ fightback, as they failed to create anything of note thereafter.
Instead, Home could have made the scoreline a more comfortable one, but both Azhar and substitute Imran Sahib did not find the net, as the game ended 2-0.
Courts Young Lions: Syazwan Buhari (GK)(C), Fadli Kamis, M. Anumanthan, Amirul Adli, Farhan Rahmat, Ammirul Emmran (Shahfiq Ghani 76’), Afiq Noor, Jordan Webb, Nur Na’iim Ishak (Suria Prakash 54’), Sherif El-Masri (Shameer Aziq 43’), Amy Recha
Home United: Shahril Jantan (GK) (Hyrulnizam Juma’at 71’), Ang Zhiwei, Shahrin Saberin (Imran Sahib 85’), R. Aaravin, Juma’at Jantan (C), Yasir Hanapi, Kamel Ramdani, Stanely Ng (Fazli Ayob 65’), Azhar Sairudin, Ambroise Begue, Ken IlsoTAMPINES ACHIEVE FIRST WIN IN FOUR LEAGUE GAMES
Written by: Nigel Chin
Tampines Rovers returned to winning ways as they kept their title bid alive with a slim 1-0 victory over Harimau Muda at the Hang Jebat Stadium.
The only goal of the game came courtesy of Rodrigo Tosi 16 minutes from time, with the Brazilian netting his seventh league goal of the campaign to settle the contest.
The win meant that Tampines closed the gap on league leaders Brunei DPMM to seven points.
Both the Young Tigers and the Stags were slow off the mark initially, with the heavy downpour on Wednesday evening not helping matters.
However, Tampines soon found their rhythm and started dominating proceedings, although they did not find a breakthrough until the second half.
The first of chance for them came in the 11th minute after Mateo Roskam latched onto a long punt but his shot from inside the box was pushed away by Harimau Muda goalkeeper Ramdhan Hamid.
Nine minutes later, Syafwan Syahlan had a great opportunity against the run of play, but the Malaysian forward found the side netting instead after getting past Shaiful Esah and Rodrigo Pacheco.
Ramdhan then denied Tosi midway into the first half, before Roskam failed to trouble the keeper with a tame header.
Roskam then carved out a superb opportunity for himself in the 36th minute, but the striker wasted all his good work by shooting straight at Ramdhan after getting past two challenges.
The striker continued wasting his opportunities, firing wide with the goal gaping in the 40th minute after Tosi found him with a cut-back, before he scuffed another effort on the stroke of half-time when Firdaus Idros set him up.
Harimau Muda almost opened the scoring after the restart, but Syawal Nordin could not convert at the far post after Tampines custodian Pacheco missed the ball completely from a corner.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 74th minute, after Tampines wasted several other chances in the second half.
An attempted tackle by Syawal on Roskam saw the ball roll to Tosi inside the area, and the striker held off Annas Rahmat and Syazwan Andik before firing into the top corner past Ramdhan.
With the lead, Tampines were contented to hold on and allow Harimau Muda to seize the initiative, and the hosts almost found the equaliser in the last minute of regulation time. But substitute Akhir Bahari fired agonisingly wide.
There was still time for drama though, when Annas seemingly taken out by Pacheco inside the area, but referee Farhad Mohd waved play on instead.
Incensed Harimau Muda players protested the call, and right-back Kenny Pallraj found himself trudging off the pitch after being shown a second yellow for dissent.
With just ten men on the pitch, there was nothing the Young Tigers could do to mount a comeback, as Tampines held on for all three points.
Harimau Muda: Ramdhan Hamid (GK), Kenny Pallraj, Annas Rahmat, Syawal Nordin, Azrul Nizam Muhammad, Shahrul Igwan (Ashmawi Yakin 85’), Irfan Zakaria, Amirul Hisyam (C), Syazwan Andik (Akhir Bahari 78’) , Arif Anwar (Ridzuan Abdunloh Pula 71’), Syafwan Syahlan
Tampines Rovers: Rodrigo Pacheco (GK), Ismadi Mukhtar (C), Jufri Taha, Pedrag Pocuca, Shaiful Esah, Firdaus Idros (Ridhuan Muhamad 61’), Isa Halim, Naeem Rahimi (Fabian Kwok 85’), Zulfadli Zainal, Mateo Roskam, Rodrigo Tosi (Noh Alam Shah 90’)
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