Matchweek 13 saw the top four Singapore Premier League sides all pick up victories, as the title race heats up at the top of the eight-team standings. With the FIFA international break set to pause league action until April, here are five talking points ahead of Matchweek 14:
Suspension-hit Cheetahs need to manage absences
A seventh-placed Young Lions side await Hougang United at Jalan Besar on Saturday night, as the Cheetahs look to get back on track after consecutive defeats.
Hougang were reduced to ten men for the second game in a row last weekend when captain Ryaan Sanizal was sent off, and the absence of Settawut Wongsai – now one game into his four-match ban after being sent off in the first half against BG Tampines Rovers – was felt in a toothless attacking display that saw them fall to Balestier Khalsa.
With the Thai forward due to sit out three more matches due to his suspension, his absence may continue to weigh on Hougang’s fortunes.
Compounding their problems, first-choice goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad faces a fitness concern, with Ridhuan Barudin likely to keep his place between the sticks. Three points here are badly needed if the Cheetahs are to reverse their slide.
Young Lions vs Hougang United | 14 March | 8:30pm | Jalan Besar Stadium | Watch on YouTube or meWATCH
Eagles look to make a statement against familiar foes
Geylang International will be desperate to put recent struggles behind them when they host Albirex Niigata (S) at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (15 March). The Eagles have lost six of their last eight games – including a 4-0 thrashing by Lion City Sailors last week – and sit just two points above Hougang in the nine-team Singapore Premier League (SPL) standings.
Geylang’s last win came on the road against Tanjong Pagar United, and they will need to recapture that spirit to trouble an Albirex side that has been in excellent form.
When these two sides met back in September, the White Swans claimed a 2-0 victory, and the Japanese outfit will be eyeing more of the same as they look to stay in touch with the front-runners at the top of the table.
Geylang International vs Albirex Niigata (S) | 15 March | 8:30pm | Our Tampines Hub | Watch on YouTube or meWATCH
Tigers dare to dream against league giants
This matchweek, this is the fixture everyone will be talking about.
Balestier Khalsa arrive at Bishan Stadium on the back of four consecutive victories, including a hard-fought comeback win over Hougang United last weekend. Jakov Katusa continues to deliver in big moments, and the Tigers are starting to develop an air of belief that makes them dangerous against any opponent.
But now comes the sternest examination of their credentials, the unbeaten Lion City Sailors, who themselves bounced back – from a 3-3 draw with Albirex Niigata the previous matchweek – with an emphatic 4-0 thrashing of Geylang International. Head Coach Jesus Casas will relish this challenge as his Sailors seek to reassert their dominance.
If Balestier can earn a result here, it would be one of the statements of the season.
Balestier Khalsa vs Lion City Sailors | 15 March | 8:30pm | Bishan Stadium | Watch on YouTube or meWATCH
Stags seek domestic response after continental exit
BG Tampines Rovers’ continental campaign took a blow this week as they were knocked out of the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2) by Bangkok United. But Rober Eziakor and his charges have little time to dwell, as the Stags return to Singapore Premier League action on Monday with a chance to close the gap on league leaders, Lion City Sailors.
A 5-0 dismantling of Young Lions last weekend showed that the Stags’ firepower remains intact, and three points against Tanjong Pagar at Jurong East would keep the pressure on the top of the table. The Jaguars, meanwhile, have struggled throughout the season and will need a significant improvement to avoid another defeat at home.
Jaguars sniff an opportunity against weary Stags
Tanjong Pagar United have endured a difficult Singapore Premier League (SPL) season – winless since their opening-day victory over Young Lions – and the Jaguars will be acutely aware that time is running out to turn their campaign around.
And Monday night’s fixture may present their best chance in some time.
With BG Tampines Rovers arriving at Jurong East on the back of a gruelling continental campaign and a heartbreaking midweek exit from the AFC Champions League Two (ACL 2), fatigue could be a factor for the Stags.
Three points would do more than just end the Jaguars’ drought – they have won only once this season, a 5-1 victory over Young Lions last September – it would lift Noh Alam Shah’s side above seventh-placed Young Lions in the standings, giving the Jaguars a much-needed foothold to build on heading into the international break.
Organised, resolute, and clinical – that is what will be required if they are to take full advantage of a rare opportunity.
Tanjong Pagar United vs BG Tampines Rovers | 16 March | 8:30pm | Jurong East Stadium | Watch on YouTube or meWATCH
