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WARRIORS BOUNCE BACK TO END TIGERS' UNBEATEN RUN

 

Written By: Kenneth Ho

Warriors FC ended a run of four league games without a win as they trounced Balestier Khalsa 4-2 at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday evening.

The result not only ended Balestier's run of eight league games without defeat, but also allowed the Warriors to leagfrog them and go into second place, just two points away from league leaders Brunei DPMM.

Fazrul Nawaz earned himself a brace, while Hafiz Rahim and Miroslav Pejic too etched their name onto the score sheet.

Yusiskandar Yusop and Poh Yifeng's dismissal early in the second half meant that Balestier were always going to struggle in the game, but they still managed to score two goals via Miroslav Kristic deep in injury time.

The opening period of the game was fairly tight, with both sides unwilling to yield.

However, a lapse in concentration by Balestier's backline allowed Fazrul to latch onto Hafiz's lob, and he coolly slot past Zaiful Nizam for the opener in the 15th minute.

Four minutes later, Pejic scored a similar goal as he ran onto Kevin McCann's pass before finishing into the bottom corner.

Ignatius Ang could have reduced the deficit for the Tigers in the 34th minute after finding himself with only Shahul Rayyan to beat, but the goalkeeper smothered the ball in the nick of time.

It could have easily been 3-0 to the Warriors just before the break when Nurullah Hussein accidentally headed the ball towards Fazrul, but the striker contrived to fire straight at Zaiful instead.

In the second half, Balestier came out battling as Kristic powered a strong header at goal, but Shahul was well-positioned to catch the ball in the 49th minute.

The Tigers' plans would start to unravel minutes later, starting with Yusiskandar's dismissal in the 53rd minute for a high-boot challenge on Pejic.

Two minutes later, Poh Yifeng followed him into the tunnel for catching Karlo Ivancic in the face with his elbow.

Their numerical disadvantage allowed Warriors to pour forward and the reigning league champions duly capitalised on it in the 58th minute.

 

Fazrul once again showcased his predatory instinct, as he raced ahead to sweep home McCann's cross from the right to make it 3-0.

The Warriors were not done yet though, with Hafiz scoring a sublime effort in the 85th minute, after his lob from 15 yards out sailed over Zaiful and into goal.

Credit to the Tigers, they never gave up and they were duly rewarded with two consolation goals deep in injury time.

First, Kristic towered above the rest to plant a header past Shahul before he ran through on goal and chipped over the onrushing goalkeeper minutes later.

However, it proved too late for the Tigers as the referee soon blew for the final whistle.

Warriors FC: Shahrul Rayyan (GK), Marcus Wheeler, Marin Vidosevic, Emmeric Ong, Miroslav Pejic, Kevin McCann (Shi Jiayi 72'), Fazrul Nawaz (Hazim Faiz 72'), Daniel Bennett (C), Irwan Shah, Hafiz Rahim, Karlo Ivancic (Hafsyar Farkhan 76')

Balestier Khalsa: Zaiful Nizam (GK) (C), Yusiskandar Yusop, Emir Lotinac, Igor Cerina, Nurullah Hussein, Zulkiffli Hassim (Hazzuwan Halim 59'), Robert Pericic (Jonathan Xu 59'), Tarik Cmajcanin (Ridwan Jamil 70'), Miroslav Kristic, Ignatius Ang, Poh Yifeng

STAGS’ FRONT PAIRING DEMOLISH HARIMAU MUDA

Written by: Nigel Chin

Strikers Rodrigo Tosi and Mateo Roskam combined to deadly effect as Tampines Rovers romped to a 5-1 victory over Harimau Muda at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Tosi netted a hat-trick while Roskam recorded a brace, as the Young Tigers struggled to contain the Tampines frontmen. The pair had one assist apiece in the game as well.

It took the Stags just three minutes to open the scoring in the game. Both Alviz and Tosi combined superbly before the latter found Roskam for a near-post finish.

A minute later, Tosi could have doubled the lead after going through, but he was foiled by a superb save from Ramdhan Hamid.

Roskam wasted a chance to double his tally in the fifth minute, this time failing to find the target with just the goalkeeper to beat  after Syawal Nordin's mistake allowed him to run behind the defence.

But he atoned for that miss five minutes later, this time sending a header off Alviz’s cross into the top corner via the crossbar.

It should have been three in the 21st minute, but Isa Halim saw his curling effort from just outside the box rocking the crossbar instead.

Tampines custodian Rodrigo Pacheco was finally called into action after 31 minutes, with Ridzuan Abdunloh forcing him into a flying save with a volley.

However, there was nothing the custodian could have done to prevent Akhir Bahari’s shot from going in a minute later, having pushed away Adam Nor’s initial shot.

Normal service resumed just seven minutes later though, when the unmarked Tosi nodded in Alviz corner to restore the two-goal lead.

Tosi netted his second of the night five minutes into the second half, lashing a fierce shot off Roskam’s knock-down into the net which Ramdhan could not keep out despite getting his hands to it.

Nine minutes later, the Brazilian completed his first hat-trick for this season - this time heading home the rebound after his initial effort was saved by Ramdhan.

Roskam could have had a hat-trick of his own as well, but he squandered a superb opportunity in the 78th minute following some good combination play with Alviz.

He then headed over Ridhuan Muhamad’s delightful cross under pressure two minutes from time.

With the win, Tampines closed the gap on league leaders Brunei DPMM to seven points with a game in hand still.

Tampines Rovers: Rodrigo Pacheco (GK), Ismadi Mukhtar, Jufri Taha, Fahrudin Mustafic (C), Zulfadli Zainal, Firdaus Idros, Isa Halim (Fabian Kwok 73’), Naeem Rahimi (Aqhari Abdullah 75’), Roberto Alviz, Mateo Roskam, Rodrigo Tosi (Ridhuan Muhamad 80’

Harimau Muda: Ramdhan Hamid (GK), Ashmawi Yakin, Annas Rahmat, Syawal Nordin (Wan Ahmad Zafran 43’), Nazirul Naim Che Hashim, Akhir Bahari, Irfan Zakaria, Amirul Hisyam (Faris Shah 78’), Adam Nor, Ridzuan Abdunloh, S Kumaahran (Syafwan Syahlan 61’)

REPORT: WHITE SWANS FAIL TO CLOSE GAP ON DPMM

Written by: Nigel Chin

Second-placed Albirex Niigata (S) failed to reduce league leaders Brunei DPMM’s lead at the top after both sides played out a scoreless draw at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The draw allowed DPMM to maintain their four-point lead over Albirex and Warriors FC at the top of the Great Eastern-Yeo’s S.League table, with eight games remaining.

It could have been a different outcome had DPMM converted one of the numerous chances they had in the game, but instead their profligacy saw them failing to score for the first time in nine matches.

DPMM could have gone ahead as early as the third minute, but topscorer Rafael Ramazotti failed to find the target after getting behind the defence.

Eight minutes later, Yosuke Nozawa was forced into a big save after centre-back Brian McLean connected superbly with Azwan Ali’s corner.

Ramazotti missed another decent opportunity in the 17th minute, before Maududi Hilmi volleyed narrowly wide after the Brazilian striker had set up him.

A brilliant one-two between Azwan Ali and Sergio then saw the latter with a great opportunity, but he struck it straight at Nozawa instead.

Sergio then turned creator just before half-time when he sent Ramazotti racing through, only for the striker to fire a tame shot at the Albirex custodian.

DPMM’s profligacy carried on in the second half, and Sergio headed narrowly wide from close range after Azwan Saleh found him lurking inside the box with a fantastic cross.

A rare chance for Albirex came in the 64th minute, but Atsushi Kawata screwed his shot wide from a promising position.

Nozawa was called into action once more, this time to keep out a curling effort by Sergio from the edge of the area.

DPMM could have been punished for their wastefulness right at the death after McLean inadvertently headed the ball to Shun Inaba inside the DPMM’s penalty box.

However, the Japanese midfielder sliced his volley agonisingly wide to the relief of the DPMM bench, as the game ended in a stalemate.

Albirex Niigata (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK), Mikiya Yamada, Takahiro Saito, Kento Fujihara (C), Itsuki Yamada, Hikaru Mizuno, Shun Inaba, Atsushi Kawata, Fumiya Kogure, Rion Taki (Kento Nagasaki 60’), Shotaro Ihata (Rui Kumada 89’)

Brunei DPMM: Wardun Yussof (GK), Helmi Zambin, Boris Raspudic, Brian McLean, Sairol Sahari (Adi Said 65’), Rosmin Kamis, Azwan Saleh, Maududi Hilmi (Najib Tarif 83’), Paulo Sergio, Azwan Ali, Rafael Ramazotti