SINGAPORE, 16 MAY 2025 – The 2024/25 Singapore Premier League season nears its conclusion with Balestier Khalsa upsetting newly crowned champions, Lion City Sailors, to practically seal a top four finish. Elsewhere, Geylang International edged Young Lions to return to winning ways while struggling sides Tanjong Pagar United and Hougang United played out a draw at Jurong East. We recap all the action here.
Cheetahs’ woes continue
Tanjong Pagar 1-1 Hougang | Jurong East |13 May
Faizal Roslan 73′ | Dejan Račić 42′
In a match that saw each side receive a red card, it was Hougang who struck first with Račić benefitting from Stejpan Plazonja’s low cross to tap home, but Tanjong Pagar rallied with Faizal nodding in Tomoki Wada’s corner to gain a deserved point.
Facts
- Hougang are winless in their last four league matches, while Tanjong Pagar have failed to win their last nine.
- This is Faizal’s best scoring season with four goals.
Tanjong Pagar: Riki Kimura (GK), Syed Akmal, Timur Talipov, Marcus Mosses, Azim Akbar, Raihan Rahman, Rezza Rezky (Faizal Roslan 55’), Fathullah Rahmat (C) (Sahil Suhaimi 80’), Thorsten Takashi Cross (Zenivio Mota 55’), Tomoki Wada, Salif Cissé (Syahadat Masnawi 90’+1).
Unused subs: Prathip Ekamparam (GK), Ryan Effendy, Naufal Ilham, Hariysh Krishnakumar, Izrafil Yusof.
Hougang: Zaiful Nizam (GK), Nazrul Nazari (C), Anders Aplin, Daniel Henrique, Jordan Vestering, Shahdan Sulaiman (Tajeli Salamat 64’), Zulfahmi Arifin, Ratthathammanun Deeying (Ismail Salihović 73’), Shodai Yokoyama, Stejpan Plazonja (Farhan Zulkifli 73’), Dejan Račić (Tan-Vaissierre Louka 83’).
Unused subs: Isaac Jonathan (GK), Danish Irfan, Hazzuwan Halim, Nazhiim Harman, Gabriel Quak.
Red Card – Timur Talipov (Tanjong Pagar) 15’ | Daniel Henrique (Hougang) 62’
Tigers produce an upset
Sailors 0-1 Balestier | Bishan | 14 May
Kodai Tanaka pen. 31′
Up against a much-changed Sailors side, Balestier dominated and was well worthy of three points on the night – with Tanaka dusting himself off to score the match-deciding goal from the spot after being felled by Ali Alrina in the area. .
Facts
- Balestier have lost just once in their last seven SPL matches.
- Tanaka has scored in four straight SPL outings.
- Sailors’ Danie Hafiy, Enrico Silveira, Henry Spence and Andy Reefqy all made their SPL debuts.
Sailors: Adib Nur Hakim (GK), Hafiz Nor, Zulqarnaen Suzliman (Danie Hafiy 88’), Hariss Harun (C), Ali Alrina (Akram Azman 70’), Sergio Carmona Pérez, Anumanthan Kumar, Bart Ramselaar (Andy Reefqy 75’), Haiqal Pashia (Enrico Silveira 88’), Obren Kljajić (Henry Spence 88’), Abdul Rasaq Akeem.
Unused subs: Zharfan Rohaizad (GK), Christopher van Huizen.
Balestier: Hafiz Ahmad (GK), Darren Teh (Fudhil I’yadh 70’), Madhu Mohana (C) Cher Garang, Abdil Qaiyyim (Ignatius Ang 78’), Harith Kanadi, Alen Kozar (C), Masahiro Sugita, Riku Fukashiro, Anton Fase, Kodai Tanaka.
Unused subs: Martyn Mun (GK), Emmeric Ong, Elijah Lim, Amiruldin Asraf, Syukri Noorhaizam, N Sakthivelchezhian, Tariq Shahid.
Eagles edge it
Young Lions 1-2 Geylang | Jalan Besar | 15 May
Kan Kobayashi 45+1’ | Rio Sakuma 68’, Ryoya Taniguchi 90’
Young Lions took the lead through Kobayashi’s clever close-range finish, but Geylang turned it around in the second half with Sakuma nodding in Vincent Bezecourt’s corner,before Taniguchi coolly finished off a one-on-one opportunity for a late winner.
Facts
- Young Lions are now winless in their last nine league matches.
- Geylang have now scored 94 goals in 31 matches – just two less than what league champions Lion City Sailors have managed.
Young Lions: Rauf Erwan (GK), Aqil Yazid (Syafi Nur Hilman 75’), Bill Mamadou, Jun Kobayashi, Danish Haqimi (Ikram Mikhail 81’), Kaisei Ogawa, Kan Kobayashi (C), Ethan Pinto (Rasul Ramli 64’), Ryu Hardy (Danial Crichton 81’), Andrew Aw (Ryan Vishal 75’), Amir Syafiz.
Unused subs: Umayr Sujuandy (GK), Izz Anaqi, Nyqil Iyyan, Lim Zheng Wu.
Geylang: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Faisal Shahril (Akmal Azman 46’), Rio Sakuma, Joshua Pereira (C), Shakir Hamzah, Takahiro Tezuka, Vincent Bezecourt (Zikos Chua 78’), Naqiuddin Eunos (Iqbal Hussain 46’), Ryoya Taniguchi, Saifullah Akbar (Raiyan Noor 63’), Tomoyuki Doi (Prince Rio Rifae’I 46’).
Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Naufal Azman, Huzaifah Aziz, Ahmad Syahir.
