June 19, 2004

Roundup of the week S-league

June 16, 2004 Choa Chu Kang

Indra Sahdan Daud in helping himself to a 12 minute hat- trick not only took his tally in the S-league to 11 goals for the season. His inspired and energetic performance also earns his team an amazing 6-1 victory against the Champion great archival the Warriors.

The victory was certainly pay back time for the Champion against the Warriors as the Warriors had ended the Champion domestic 27 matches unbeaten run at Bishan earlier in the season.

June 16, 2004 Tampines

Before that Stags midfielder Tan Kim Leng had already been send off in the 62 minutes after being cautioned twice within 3 minutes for two unnecessary fouls on Li Benjian to earn himself an early shower.

All counted the Stags did dominated the game especially in the first half when Noh Alam Shah had 2 of the match best chances to break the deadlock but he failed to hit the target on both occasions. In the 24 minute, Noh Alam Shah had raced onto a superb Mirko Grabovac flick-on only to shoot wide of Chen Si’s far post while 3 minutes from halftime, he could only loft the ball over the bar in an identical move.

The Stags therefore can thanks their lucky star for Mirko Grabovac as he was the architect in opening up the Sinchi defence with a great run & then a deft pass into the path of the onrushing Aliff who had the easy task of side-footing the ball home.

However the Stags fell asleep after that, when from a corner Liu Bin escaped from his marker to nod home at the near post for the equaliser.

After that came a period of stalemate with Tan Kim Leng sending off before the penalty decision that saw the Stags captured all 3 points.

June 17, 2004 Bedok

Young Lions aspiring title hopes were dealt a severe blow after their 5-match winning streak was ended in a 1-2 defeat at Bedok by the Eagles.

Certainly one can feel the Young Lions were unfairly dealt with in this match as Precious Emuejeraye expulsion after only 13 minute had left the Young Lions with a mountain to climb for the majority of the game. The Nigerian was adjudged to have fouled Hasrin Jailani as the two jostled inside the penalty area to reach a long punt played from the back but one can feel it was a 50-50 challenge which could have easily gone the Young Lions way & it was way too harsh to give the penalty & red card.

Nevertheless Aleksandar Duric slotted his spot kick past Lionel Lewis although the goalkeeper had dived the correct way.

A man down the Young Lions could do nothing & the first half ended in the Eagles favour.

In the second period Duric was involved in the second goal when lying on his back after losing his balance trying to control Petrie’s pass, the striker managed to slide the ball into the path of Hasrin who gave Lionel no chance with his drilled shot into the corner.

Certainly the Eagles looked like they will have a comfortable 3 points until the nervy appearance by 18 year-old Eagles custodian Yunus Ali, who had replaced the injured Shahril Jantan oosted the confidence of the Young Lions. The rookie keeper had flapped at a corner leaving Agu Casmir with the simple task of tapping it in on the goal-line to reduce the Eagles lead.

The Young Lions launched the ball into the penalty box at every attempt but the Eagles held on eventually for the much-needed points.

June 17, 2004 Queenstown

Tanjong Pagar United notched their first victory of the season & what make this more cherished is because they had come back from behind to notch the victory

The Tigers were depleted having chosen to released 2 of their Korean imports & their replacements unable to play but it was the Tigers who took the lead through 1 of their 2 remaining import Park Tae Won.

However the Jaguars did not give & in the second period scored 2 goals Jalil Arsat & Gimmy Bade for their first victory of the season & allowing them to close the gap to 4 points on Sinchi & the Tigers.

June 18, 2004 Jurong East

The Rams saw their lead reduced to 2 points after they lost shockingly to the Swans at Jurong East.

The Rams were just too one-dimensional on the night with them playing too many of their diagonal long passes & the Swan defenders easily intercepted them. Also the Rams key players were also well contained with Albirex Niigata choosing to defend in numbers after taking the lead.

Shoji Yamada passed the ball to Murakami on the right flank. The forward then dummied a shot to cut inside as he unleashed a low grounder with his left foot which Rams keeper Yazid Yasin had no chance to save it.

In the Second periodafter soaking the pressure from the visitors, keeper Nobuhiro Maeda accurately kicked the ball to the solitary figure of Ryuji Sueoka. The striker held the ball well drawing the Rams defenders to him before passing it into the path of the Nakajima. He had time to control the ball & blast it into the top left hand corner to give Albirex a deserving 2-0 lead.