SOCCER

Tanjong Pagar a step closer to taking its first title

By PETER SIOW

THE all-conquering Singapore Armed Forces FC juggernaut, triple champion last season, came to a crunching halt last night.

The Warriors arrived at the Jaguars' den at Queenstown Stadium to bury them in the Singapore Pools FA Cup semi-final, but Tanjong Pagar refused to play dead.

The end result was an absorbing contest for the 3,000 fans who witnessed Tanjong Pagar stride into the final with a 5-1 humiliation of SAFFC, the reigning Tiger Beer S-League champion.

It will face Sembawang Rangers at the National Stadium on Nov 22 to decide the FA Cup title.

The Stallions defeated Geylang 3-1 on penalties (1-1 at full-time) in the other semi-final at Yishun Stadium last night.

Finally, the Jaguars were able to put to rest the ghost of losing the S-League title by goal difference to the Warriors three months ago.

It was also SAFFC's biggest loss this season and national goalkeeper Rezal Hassan must have wished he was somewhere else.

Said Tanjong Pagar coach Tohari Paijan: "SAFFC is the reigning S-League champion, so every club wants to beat it.

"But, frankly, I expected my team to win by a small margin. The 5-1 victory is a surprise."

The Jaguars left the Warriors a broken side on the wet and glassy pitch, thanks to mastermind Majid Motlagh, who played with pace, power and flair.

Apart from claiming a double, he also set up Nicodeme Boucher's brace and Vlado Bozinoski's goal.

The host began briskly, but it was SAFFC which looked more poised and incisive in the first half.

But if the Jaguars missed the dashing Steven Tan, they did not show it as midfielder Majid moved up to choreograph their attack brilliantly.

It was the Iranian who, in a moment of inspiration, spotted a gap in SAFFC's defence and rifled home a cracking shot with the game only three minutes old.

Then Tanjong Pagar retreated, dug a deep trench as SAFFC became livelier, quicker and sharper.

Fandi Ahmad was abuzz at the start, but lost some of his fizz not long afterwards.

Ivica Raguz was perpetually in motion, switching flanks easily. So, too, the enterprising Tan Kim Leng.

The two conspired to bring parity to the match in the 12th minute. Off a dead-ball situation, Raguz aimed his corner for Kim Leng to nod the ball home.

Encouraged, SAFFC laid a long siege on Tanjong Pagar's territory, but Jure Eres and Hafizat Jauharmi were being generous.

Then Majid returned to the scene in added time to put Bozinoski with a chance to place his low volley past a hapless Rezal. That goal changed the whole complexion of the game.

When play resumed, Boucher, who was more a nuisance than a menace in the opening half, came alive.

As SAFFC pushed forward more and more in a chase for the equaliser, it left its backline vulnerable.

And Boucher punished the loose defence with two well-taken headers in the 55th and 72nd minutes, thanks to Majid's well-directed crosses.

Majid completed SAFFC's misery in the 77th minute when he curled a free-kick beyond Rezal's reach as the Warriors' midfield, usually well-managed by the absent Velimir Crljen, crumbled completely.

Said SAFFC coach Vincent Subramaniam: "I don't think we missed the services of Crljen. We've played several games without him and won. We just lost to a better team."