S. LEAGUE - SINGAPORE

KAWATA-INSPIRED WHITE SWANS COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT WASPS

Written by: Dwayne James

Leaders Albirex Niigata FC (S) came from behind to stun defending champions Brunei DPMM FC 2-1 last night at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas

The Brunei side deservingly grabbed the lead through Azwan Ali Rahman before Atsushi Kawata netted twice to give the White Swans all three points.

Brunei DPMM FC had the first chance of the match in the eighth minute after Shahrazen Said chested down the ball to shoot only to see it end at the wrong side of the post.

They produced the first shot on target 10 minutes later with Shahrazen sending a cross from the right into the box but Rafael Ramazotti headed straight into the hands of Albirex skipper and shotstopper Yosuke Nozawa.

The hosts should have grabbed the lead the next minute but Azwan Salleh’s shot from 25 yards out bounced off the post.

The Brunei side had another chance in the 32nd minute but Maududi Kasmi’s effort from the edge of the box floated over.

Brunei DPMM FC were on top the entire opening half as Albirex were unable to find a way through despite being patient in their build up play from the back.

Another opportunity went begging for Brunei DPMM FC four minutes into the second half with Azwan Ali making a dazzling run to get past three markers before squaring Maududi at the edge of the box but the latter couldn’t find the target.

Albirex went on the attack in the 56th minute after Kento Nagasaki went down the left flank before putting the ball into the middle but none of his teammates were there to send it home.

The hosts went in front the next minute after Shahrazen sent a cross from the left into the box. It was nodded down by Ramazotti and Azwan Ali poked past Nozawa from close range.

They should have doubled their lead in the 65th minute but Ramazotti blasted his attempt over from the edge of the box.

Instead, the White Swans pulled one back off a setpiece in the 72nd minute.

Kawata headed Nagasaki’s corner for their first attempt on target and it slipped past the gloves of DPMM FC goalkeeper Wardun Yussof and into goal.

Kawata was close to adding a second just two minutes later but his shot from inside the 18-yard box hit the post.

The Japanese outfits were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute after Yura Indera Putera pull down Kawata inside the box.

Kawata stepped up to scored his ninth of the season from 12 yards out and ultimately put Albirex in front.

The Brunei side had one final chance to salvage a point from the encounter in added time but Azwan Salleh’s freekick from 25 yards out floated past the wall but was dealt with by Nqzawa.

Brunei DPMM FC coach Steve Kean: “It wasn’t as if Albirex opened us up at all. They didn’t all night. They expected us to push in and leave a lot of space but we didn’t and dropped off to protect the space. They kind of ran out of ideas. 

"They never really had any penetration and never got behind us too much and two poor goals see us coming out of the game with no points.”

Albirex Niigata FC (S) coach Naoki Naruo: “I’m very satisfied with today (Friday night) even though we didn’t play good football. We didn’t have enough mobility and show our style of football but managed to come back for the win. It is a very good result for us.”

Brunei DPMM FC: Wardun Yussof (GK), Brian McLean, Azwan Salleh, Azwan Ali Rahman, Najib Tarif, Maududi Kasmi (Nurikhwan Othman 80’), Rosmin Kamis (C), Helmi Zambin, Rafael Ramazotti, Shahrazen Said (Adi Said 65’), Yura Indera Putera

Albirex Niigata FC (S): Yosuke Nozawa (GK, C) Mikiya Yamada, Kento Fujihara, Atsushi Shirota, Naofumi Tanaka, Shuto Inaba, Masaya Jitozono (Tatsuro Inui 61’), Kento Nagasaki, Atsushi Kawata, Daichi Ishiyama (Hiroyoshi Kamata 82’), Rui Kumada (Kazuki Mine 61’)

PROTECTORS DEFEAT WARRIORS IN SECOND UNIFORMED DERBY OF THE SEASON

Written By: Aysha Ridzuan

Home United grabbed three points with a 2-1 win against Warriors FC in the second Great Eastern Yeo's S.League Uniformed Derby at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night.

The first meeting between both side earlier in the season had ended in a 2-2 stalemate, but goals from Song Uiyoung and Ken Ilso ensured that the Protectors took home maximum points this time round.

Jonathan Behe helped the Warriors pull level in the second-half, but the Frenchman's goal proved to be mere consolation for the designated hosts in the end.

The victory for the Protectors means that they moved to fifth place in the table, eight points behind leaders Albirex Niigata (S) while Warriors sit a place below with nine points.

Home threatened to score just 10 minutes into the game when Ilso took down a free-kick inside the 18-yard box, but fired a shot wide of the mark.

A minute later, Warriors fired their own warning shot when Nicola Rak attempted a close-range shot after meeting Zulfadli Zainal's corner, but Protectors’ custodian Hyrulnizam Juma'at was quick to push the Croatian's shot away.

Poh Yi Feng was next to try his luck in the 13th minute with a fierce drive from just outside the box, but Hyrulnizam was alert to the danger.

A counter-attack by Home seven minutes later saw Ilso sliding a low cross into the box for Song to bundle the ball home at the far post.

The visitors should have doubled their lead in the 36th minute after Sirina Camara found Khairul Nizam with a pint-point cross, but the latter's header was too weak to trouble Warriors custodian Yazid Yasin.

The Protectors came out firing after the break and almost increased their lead when Aqhari Abdullah was played through on goal in the 56th minute, but a moment of hesitation from the midfielder saw the Warriors defence recover in time to deflect his shot out for a corner.

Warriors almost restored parity a minute after the hour mark when Syaqir Sulaiman nodded the ball into the path of Hafiz Osman, but the latter, who was playing in midfield, blasted the ball wide.

Warriors then found the equaliser in the 63rd minute when a defensive mix-up between Hyrulnizam and Camara allowed Behe to tap the ball into an empty goal for his seventh goal of the season.

However, the Protectors refused to settle for another draw with their rivals and continued to search for their second goal.

They finally found it five minutes from time when an attacking move started by Ilso ended with Camara sending in a cross from the left for the Dane to slide home the winner for the Protectors.

Warriors FC coach Jorg Steinebrunner: “I think we did not deserve to lose the game tonight. It was quite an even game. In the second half it was all our game. We had a good possession and we deserved to level 1-1.

“Home’s second goal was a brilliant move by Ken Ilso. He’s a good player. He initiated the move and he finished it.

"But we could have done better. It’s painful to think that we did enough, played in good spirit. I thought the least we could get was a draw. But overall it was a good game.”

Home United coach Philippe Aw: “We did well in the first half...we dominated the game but after that Warriors had a better possession. 

"They were also creative. Hyrul (Hyrulnizam) made a mistake for Warriors’ equaliser...but we got away with another goal after that.

“The goal we conceded was down to communication. Communication is very important in a game. We still have to work on that and stop making the same mistake.”

Warriors FC: Yazid Yasin (GK), Zulfadli Zainal (C), Kento Fukuda, Hafiz Osman (Shaiful Esah 60’), Madhu Mohana, Poh Yi Feng, Syaqir Sulaiman, Nikola Rak, Hafiz Nor (Fazli Jaffar 83’), Hafiz Rahim (Ridhuan Muhammad 71’), Jonathan Behe

Home United FC: Hyrulnizam Juma'at (GK), Juma'at Jantan (C), Sirina Camara, Abdil Qaiyyim, Shahrin Saberin (Shamil Sharif 56’), Uiyoung Song, Zulfahmi Arifin, Aqhari Abdullah (Faris Ramli 69’), Azhar Sairudin (Syahiran Miswan 80’), Ken Ilso, Khairul Nizam