BG Tampines’s Jared Gallagher in action against Geylang’s Sora Tanaka, 17 May 2024.
SINGAPORE, 20 MAY 2024 – Lion City Sailors took advantage of Tampines Rovers’ slip-up against Geylang International in the Eastern Derby as they overcame Young Lions with 10 men to go two points clear at the top, while Balestier Khalsa showed why they are this season’s dark horses with a thrashing of Tanjong Pagar United. Elsewhere, defending champions Albirex Niigata (S) edged Hougang United for their first win of the season. We recap all the action here…
Eastern Derby thriller
Geylang 4-4 Tampines | Jalan Besar | 17 May
Amirul Adli O.G. 22’, Tomoyuki Doi 34’, Naqiuddin Eunos 61’, Ryoya Taniguchi 75’ | Boris Kopitović pen. 6’, Miloš Zlatković 11’, Taufik Suparno 82’, 84’
BG Tampines raced into a two-goal lead through Kopitović’s penalty conversion and Zlatković’s header off Glenn Kweh’s corner, but Geylang pulled level by half time with Taniguchi forcing an own goal from Adli before Doi clipped a fine finish beyond the despairing reach of Syazwan Buhari. The Eagles then went 4-2 up with Naqiuddin curling home from long range before Taniguchi gobbled up a rebound, but BG Tampines refused to cower – with Taufik coming off the bench to net a couple of headers to rescue a valuable point.
Facts
- Geylang let slip a two-goal lead to draw again, after doing so in last week’s 2-2 draw with Balestier.
- Geylang are unbeaten in the last five Eastern Derbies in the league – their last SPL defeat to the Stags was in August 2022.
- Doi has now scored nine goals in six appearances against Tampines.
- Taufik scored for the first time since March 2023 in Tampines’ 4-3 win over Sailors – it was also his first brace since October 2022 and he has already equalled his 2023 tally of two goals.
Geylang: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Naqiuddin Eunos, Keito Hariya, Joshua Pereira (C), Shakir Hamzah, Takahiro Tezuka, Huzaifah Aziz (Sora Tanaka 45’+5), Iqbal Hussain (Akmal Azman 83’), Vincent Bezecourt, Ryoya Taniguchi (Zikos Chua 90’+3), Tomoyuki Doi.
Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Naufal Azman, Faisal Shahril, Ahmad Syahir.
BG Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK) (C), Jared Gallagher (Taufik Suparno 62’), Shuya Yamashita, Amirul Adli (Irfan Najeeb 46’), Miloš Zlatković, Shah Shahiran, Kyoga Nakamura, Glenn Kweh (Amirul Haikal 70’), Faris Ramli, Seia Kunori, Boris Kopitović (Yasir Hanapi 70’).
Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Syahrul Sazali, Taras Goh, Thitipat Ekarunpong, Kegan Phang.
Man-of-the-Match Taufik Suparno netted two headers to salvage a point for BG Tampines, 17 May 2024.
Champions get off the mark
Albirex 1-0 Hougang | Jurong East | 18 May
Shuhei Hoshino 7’
Hoshino converted a rebound to give Albirex an early lead after Hougang failed to deal with a free-kick properly and that proved to be the match-winning strike. They then lost custodian Hassan Sunny to a straight red on the hour mark but managed to see out an important victory.
Facts
- Albirex has now won their last nine home games, stretching back to April 2023.
- Hoshino scored his first goal for Albirex since August 2018 in a 3-1 win over Brunei DPMM.
- Hassan has now been sent off in two consecutive seasons with Albirex, having not received a red card when he was with Sailors between 2020 to 2022.
Albirex: Hassan Sunny (GK), Syed Firdaus Hassan, Koki Kawachi, Stevia Egbus Mikuni, Gareth Low, Yojiro Takahagi (Arya Igami Tarhani 45’+1), Yohei Otake, Ho Wai Loon (C), Daniel Goh (Amy Recha 89’), Arshad Shamim (Zainol Gulam 63’), Shuhei Hoshino.
Unused subs: Syukri Bashir, Daniel Martens, Haziq Kamarudin, Junki Yoshimura, Hilman Norhisam, Kenji Austin.
Hougang: Zaiful Nizam (GK) (C), Nazhiim Harman, Faris Hasić, Ensar Brunčević, Danish Irfan (Zamani Zamri 87’), Jordan Vestering, Hazzuwan Halim (Justin Hui 76’), Ajay Robson (Gabriel Quak 76’), Shahdan Sulaiman, Shodai Yokoyama, Stjepan Plazonja (Louka Vaissierre-Tan 90’).
Unused subs: Isaac Jonathan (GK), Puttipat Kaewsawad, Jordan Sea, Rauf Sanizal, Adam Reefdy.
Red Card – Hassan Sunny (Albirex) 60’
Hoshino scored the solitary strike that sealed Albirex’s first win of the season, 18 May 2024.
Sailors continue fine start
Sailors 3-1 Young Lions | Bishan | 18 May
Maxime Lestienne 19’, Shawal Anuar 24’, Bart Ramselaar 57’ | Farhan Zulkifli 65’
The Sailors were well on their way after two quick-fire goals in the first half, with Lestienne firing home a crisp volley off Shawal Anuar’s cross before returning the favour for the latter to tap home at the far post. Bailey Wright’s sending off on the stroke of half time did make things tricky, but the home side scored a third through Ramselaar’s deflected shot – rendering Farhan’s header thereafter a mere consolation for Young Lions.
Facts
- The Sailors have now won 13 out of 15 home matches in all competitions at Bishan since 2023.
- Lestienne has scored in each of his last four appearances against Young Lions.
- Shawal has scored three goals in as many competitive games so far in the 2024/25 season.
- Farhan netted in back-to-back games for the first time – his tally of two goals is already his best-ever tally in his career.
Sailors: Zharfan Rohaizad (GK), Christopher van Huizen, Bailey Wright, Toni Datković, Obren Kljajić, Hariss Harun (C), Hami Syahin (Adam Swandi 86’), Maxime Lestienne (Bill Mamadou 86’), Song Uiyoung (Anumanthan Kumar 80’), Bart Ramselaar, Shawal Anuar (Hafiz Nor 68’).
Unused subs: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Sergio Carmona Pérez, Haiqal Pashia, Nur Muhammad Asis, Nathan Mao.
Young Lions: Umayr Sujuandy (GK), Fairuz Fazli (Jonan Tan 63’), Jun Kobayashi, Rashid Hayek, Nur Adam Abdullah, Kan Kobayashi, Kaisei Ogawa (Amir Syafiz 81’), Fathullah Rahmat (Khairin Nadim 46’), Andrew Aw (Raoul Suhaimi 46’), Itsuki Enomoto, Farhan Zulkifli (C).
Unused subs: Travis Ang (GK), Aqil Yazid, Ikram Mikhail, Kieran Teo, Danish Qayyum.
Red Card – Bailey Wright (Sailors) 45’+6
Sailors’ Bart Ramselaar in action against Young Lions’ Farhan Zulkifli, 18 May 2024.
Terrific Tigers put on a show
Tanjong Pagar 0-5 Balestier | Jurong East | 19 May
Kodai Tanaka 20’, 37’, Riku Fukashiro 45’, 60’, Amiruldin Asraf 90’+1
There was no way back for Tanjong Pagar after Tanaka’s first-half brace, with the Japanese forward dispossessing Pathy Malumandsoko to score before converting Harith Kanadi’s low cross to complete his brace. Fukashiro then joined in the act with two goals – a brilliant header off Tajeli Salamat’s cross before sweeping home Tanaka’s knock-on. Two substitutes then combined, with Amiruldin heading home Ignatius Ang’s cross to complete a handsome victory for Balestier.
Facts
- Balestier kept a clean sheet for the first time since July 2022 in a 2-0 win over Young Lions.
- Tanjong Pagar have now lost their five encounters in all competitions against Balestier, since a 3-1 win in September 2022.
- Tanaka has already bettered his 2023 tally of three goals, with four so far in 2024/25.
- Amiruldin scored just his sixth-ever SPL goal.
Tanjong Pagar: Fashah Iskandar (GK), Faizal Roslan, Shahrin Saberin, Pathy Malumandsoko, Akram Azman (C) (Daniel Elfian 87’), Zenivio Mota, Tomoki Wada, Timur Talipov (Syed Akmal 46’), Stefan Paunovic (Rezza Rezky 68’), Anaqi Ismit, Syahadat Masnawi (Salif Cisse 46, Zahil Abdul Rahman 87’).
Unused subs: Prahtip Ekamparam (GK), Riki Kimura (GK), Azim Akbar, Risvi Aaqil.
Balestier: Hafiz Ahmad (GK), Tajeli Salamat, Madhu Mohana (Amer Hakeem 87’), Jordan Emaviwe (Emmeric Ong 82’), Darren Teh, Harith Kanadi (Fudhil I’yadh 72’), Alen Kozar (C), Ismail Sassi (Ignatius Ang 72’), Masahiro Sugita, Riku Fukashiro (Amiruldin Asraf 82’), Kodai Tanaka.
Unused subs: Martyn Mun (GK), Wayne Chew (GK), Merrick Tan, Darren Teo.
Red Card – Faizal Roslan (Tanjong Pagar) 56’
Man-of-the-Match Kodai Tanaka in action, 19 May 2024.
