SINGAPORE – Albirex Niigata leapfrogged the Lion City Sailors to reclaim top spot in the Singapore Premier League table after a 1-0 win over the Young Lions on Sunday (Aug 22), but their bid to retain their title has been made more challenging with an injury-hit frontline. The White Swans, who were already without injured forwards Kiyoshiro Tsuboi, Fumiya Suzuki and Fairoz Hasan, saw their crisis worsen as forward Nicky Melvin Singh came off the pitch at Jalan Besar Stadium in the 32nd minute with an injury. The 19-year-old’s condition will be assessed at the hospital on Monday. With five more games to go, they have to fend off the Lion City Sailors, who are just three points behind with a game in hand. Albirex coach Keiji Shigetomi admitted that the club’s injury woes were concerning as the title race goes down to the wire. He said: “That (injuries) can happen and I accept it. We have to prepare well to play the same football no matter who we play.” Up against bottom dwellers Young Lions, Albirex took an early lead in the third minute courtesy of a penalty by Ryosuke Nagasawa after Ong Yu En was brought down by Syarul Sazali in the penalty box. While the hosts began piling on the pressure with a slew of chances, including an effort in the 17th minute by foward Ilhan Fandi that was cleared off the line by Reo Kunimoto, the Young Lions could not convert as Albirex held on for the 1-0 win. But Shigetomi will be expecting more from his side the next time, saying: “Young Lions played better than us. They were really intense and we could not steal their ball in this match. “But we still have five matches and we have to focus on the remaining games.” Young Lions coach Philippe Aw lauded his charges for another impressive showing. Since the season restarted in July after the international break, they have enjoyed a decent run, bagging their first two wins of the season against Balestier Khalsa, a draw with Tanjong Pagar United and two narrow losses to Hougang and Albirex. Aw said: “We had good ball retention and created chances which we didn’t put away. There were good moments as well in our pressing game, the boys matched Albirex’s work rate and took the game to them.” Putting his side’s progress down to the players’ willingness to learn and a positive team culture, he added: “The processes we have established are important which means building a foundation first before adding on to it. We have been methodical in our approach.” Analysis The title race between Albirex Niigata and Lion City Sailors could potentially be decided by goal difference and the White Swans’ depleted strike force will definitely be a big challenge for the defending champions. The Sailors on the other hand look to be settling well under new coach Kim Do-hoon and have most of their key players available. A rejuvenated Young Lions side could see themselves lifted from the bottom of the table if they continue performing as they have in the past few games. They are three points from sixth and seventh-ranked clubs Balestier and Geylang International – who are both on 13 points – with the former having a game in hand. More on this topic Related Story Football: Defender-turned-attacker Takahiro Tezuka steps up as Albirex push for SPL title Related Story Football: Albirex suffer first defeat in this year's SPL after shock 2-1 loss to Tanjong Pagar
SINGAPORE PREMIER LEAGUE Albirex Niigata 1 Tampines Rovers 4 A magnificent second-half turnaround - which included three goals in 14 minutes - helped Tampines Rovers beat Albirex Niigata 4-1 last night and displace the Japanese side at the top of the Singapore Premier League (SPL). With each team having just two games left this season, the title race now looks likely to go down to the wire on Saturday. Tampines are on 27 points, with Albirex a point behind. Third-placed Lion City Sailors, who beat the Young Lions 4-0 yesterday at Jurong West Stadium, are four points behind Tampines. The task for Tampines is clear: Win their two remaining games and they will claim their sixth league title and first since 2013. They host the Sailors on Wednesday and end the season against Geylang International. Said coach Gavin Lee: "The most important thing for us now is to recover and try to be as fresh as possible for the next game. "Neither team is going to be at 100 per cent, but we'll just reiterate what we want to do, and stay calm. A lot of things can happen in football and we'll just control what we can control." Keeping calm, he added, was the key to last night's comeback after Albirex went ahead at Jurong East Stadium through Tomoyuki Doi in the 38th minute. Lee threw on wing-backs Madhu Mohana and Irwan Shah at the start of the second half, and the move paid instant dividends. Just three minutes after the restart, Madhu was perfectly placed to set up Boris Kopitovic to equalise from close range. STANDINGS P W D L F A Pts 1 Tampines 12 8 3 1 25 9 27 2 Albirex 12 8 2 2 28 14 26 3 Lion City 12 7 2 3 38 15 23 4 Balestier 12 4 4 4 18 22 16 5 Geylang 12 5 1 6 13 20 16 6 Hougang 12 4 3 5 18 21 15 7 Young Lions 12 2 0 10 7 34 6 8 Tanjong Pagar 12 0 5 7 12 24 5 Eight minutes later, Amirul Adli put Tampines in front when poor defending at a corner by Albirex saw the ball break to him at the far post. The Stags then extended their lead in the 62nd minute when Madhu seized on a slip by Hiroyoshi Kamata and played Kopitovic in again, with the Montenegrin striker finishing with aplomb on his second try. Tampines substitute Taufik Suparno then added gloss to the scoreline in the 88th minute, latching onto a stray pass by Yasuhiro Hanada and firing home the fourth. Said Madhu: "We came back in the second half once before against Young Lions (on Nov 17) and we know we're a good enough team to do it against Albirex too. "We just stayed calm and did not panic. Now, we have to forget this result and focus on the Sailors. It's not easy but we have the depth to get the results we need." Last night's result helped Tampines pull off a double over Albirex, after a 2-0 win last month, and White Swans coach Keiji Shigetomi pointed to the Stags' experience as being the difference. "In the second half, my players were overwhelmed by the opponent and lost possession easily," he said. "But I have told them not to be discouraged. There are two more games, and we must try our best to win them, and hope for the best." On paper, Albirex have an easier run-in than Tampines. They entertain bottom side Tanjong Pagar United, who are still winless, before visiting an Hougang United side devoid of foreign players. But if Lee can gee his players up to perform like they did in the second half last night, then they stand a good chance of ending their seven-year wait for the league title.
With just three touches of the ball, Geylang International striker Khairul Nizam showed the talent that had him earmarked as a potential star but whose flashes of brilliance have only been fleeting. When Shah Shahiran's stray pass found its way to Nizam, there seemed little danger for Tampines Rovers and their defence. But the Eagles forward, spotting goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari off his line, struck a stunning 35-metre equaliser for a valuable point against the Singapore Premier League (SPL) leaders last week. Nizam then pointed to the skies in celebration. He later explained it was a tribute to his Singapore Under-18 coach Salim Moin, who died the night before on Nov 6. He said: "Coach Salim used to tell us, 'Why dribble when you can shoot? Don't dribble so much and waste your energy.' (Geylang assistant coach V. Kanan) told me coach Salim used to score this type of long-range goals as a player, and I want to dedicate my goal to him... We were all very sad to learn of his passing, and miss him dearly." It has been more than a decade since he burst onto the scene as a precocious No. 9, whom former national coach Radojko Avramovic had tipped to eventually lead the line for the national team. But ill discipline and bad luck with injuries meant he has yet to fulfil those expectations. He has 24 caps for Singapore but has yet to score an international goal. Last year, he managed four goals in the Singapore Cup for Warriors FC but failed to score in 10 SPL games. The 29-year-old has struck four times this season for Geylang to become the leading local scorer, a worrying prospect for tomorrow's opponents Albirex Niigata. Nizam insists he is a changed man after getting married in 2017 and is now determined to make the most of the remainder of his career. Those goals include playing overseas, adding to his 2015 Malaysian FA Cup medal and ending that drought with the Lions. He said: "I was playful and happy-go-lucky back then, and there was a lot of pressure and expectation on me, which I didn't know how to cope with. "But now that I have a family depending on me, I am more focused. My mind is clearer, and I'm no longer the kid I was. I want to be remembered for the right reasons and not as a wasted talent. 4 Goals by Khairul Nizam, the SPL's leading local scorer. "I'm thankful Geylang signed me after Warriors had to sit out. Like the national team, Geylang have a Japanese style of play with high press and quick counters. We have to be fit to play this style, and I'm looking forward to repaying the club's faith in me." The Eagles are sixth in the eight-team table with 10 points, one behind Lion City Sailors in fifth, four behind Albirex (second), and seven adrift of Tampines. The top senior local team will qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage, while the next two will play in the AFC Cup. Eagles coach Noor Ali is relying on Nizam, who has scored in his last three league games, to trouble Albirex at Our Tampines Hub. RESULTS Hougang 4 Young Lions 1 Balestier 2 Tampines 2 TODAY Geylang v Albirex Ch111/Ch202, Our Tampines Hub, 7.35pm Sailors v Tanjong Pagar Ch112/Ch201, Bishan Stadium, 7.35pm All on Singtel TV/StarHub and SPL's Facebook page Noor Ali, 45, said: "For the longest time, Singapore have not had a No. 9 like Nizam, who can hold up play and make good runs behind the defence. After Fandi Ahmad, I think he is the best header of the ball in recent times." The former Singapore international also has a good record against the Japanese outfit after taking charge of Geylang last year. He won two of their three league games last year, losing the other. The Eagles were without a win in 18 league games against Albirex from 2012 to 2018. Noor Ali said: "Albirex will be tough because they are technically sound and energetic. Give them time and space, they will kill you. "We have proven if we are disciplined, compact, and not afraid to play our football, we can match any team, so hopefully we will be able to do that against Albirex."