Recap

 Recap of 2011 May - 2015 June

• Central Plaza 1300sf
• One Raffles Place x 3  - 23,000sf
• 2 Bukit Merah Central 9000sf
• Connection One 9000sf
• 6 Battery Road - 3000sf
• Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2 - 3500sf
• Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3 - 13000sf
• Suntec Tower Three 7000sf
• JTC Summit - 6600sf
• The Metropolis - 90000sf
• SGX Centre - 2500sf
• Asia Square Tower 2 - 2500sf
• AXA Tower 15000sf
• One Raffles Place - 2300sf (Film setting)

Hi tech/Biz Park/Industrial

• Alexandra Technopark 13000sf
• New Tech Park 7000sf
• Honeywell Building 2000sf
• Cintech 6000sf
• Woodlands Spectrum 15000sf
• Tuas South Ave 1 - 10000sf
• 34 Boon Leat Terrace - 6000sf
• Acetech - 1000sf
• Food Axis@ Senoko 10000sf

Renewal

• Parkway Parade 4500sf  (UTi, US)
• Robinson Centre 6600sf (Temenos, Swiss)
• 1 Jalan Kilang 30,000sf  (Catalent, US)

No 21 - I think therefore I play

    

  

Leaving Milan

 

Maldini

Add caption

Freekick 1

Freekick 2

WC penalty 1






WC penalty 2

Review - Capello - Portrait of a Winner

·         The promise to Florin Raducioiu that he will start which backfired after in-form Savicevic’s ban was cleared. Capello: “I thought about it long and hard, but ultimately I felt I couldn’t play Savicevic, not after telling Raducioiu he would start. As a manager, I would have played Savicevic. But as a man, I had to playRaducioiu And I am a man first” Perhaps after all he is a human being, writes Marcotti

·         Capello doesn’t hold any grudges, always looks forward. Many many examples of this (Savicevic  left out of Club World Cup, quarreled, back in next league game) (30 mins after involved in a row with Ruud Gullit where they had to pulled apart, it was over and forgotten very quickly)

·         Let loose at HT against Zaragoza but gave each a kiss to each player once it was over in an away game 96/97 season

·         “I don’t think a manager should have just one system of play” – Marcel Desailly’s arrival signaled a shift from collective total football game seen under Sacchi & Capello first 2 seasons. Now there was a clearer definition of roles and greater specialization. A variation of Sacchi’s approach.

·         Improving players technique “You got to make it clear to him that you are trying to improve him, not merely exposing his weakness” He asked Clarence Seedorf after working with him for many months if he can shoot on goal. Seedorf said yes, very well. Fabio told him he could only do it in 1 way and worked with him to shoot in different ways – outside of foot, toe-poke, instep etc

·         Antonio Cassano – Occasionally, Capello will not react to Cassano’s provocation. Fabio wanted his teammates to step in and sort Cassano out. Fabio wanted the team to set the internal discipline.

·         He treats players differently at different times depending on what is good for the team

·         It is a lot easier to address weakness when things are going well than when you are in trouble (far easier to get Sensi to get his chequebook out now that he was riding the wave of enthusiasm)

·         Capello came out in public demanded that Trezeguet stay on after he was left out – Capello said “I put my own reputation into backing him. Because in sport, confidence is extraordinary important. I call it “unconscious adrenaline”. I know from my own experience as a player how important it is to feel trusted. No matter how talented a player, he always need to feel that the manager is counting on him

·         UCL Round of 16 – First leg Bremen 3-2. 2^nd leg score was 1-1 till 2 mins from time. Tim Wiese spilled a pedestrian ball into the box. Emerson – alerted by Cannarvaro’s cries of “Puma! Puma!” realized the ball was loose and tappied it in.

C'mon Raddy

Dear Raddy,

I am telling you a problem and offering you a solution to it..

Please stop using the headless chicken brainless warrior Fazrul Nawaz. I admit he was an impressive as a youngster at Geylang United at for the Lions when he burst into the local scene. But sadly, he is no longer the winger he used to be and is no longer that versatile.

He is so used to feeding off his club teammate Mislav Karolgan upfront he can no longer survive on the wing.

How many times did you need to shout at him? I heard every shout and counted about 25-35 times during his 45mins "run out" yesterday.

Was your instruction to him to foul people and do rugby tackles? I know he is trained in boxing but we are playing football.

Hafiz Rahim would be the perfect sub to use to our right wing. He is pacy, hardworking and more tricky. Will probably give you more defensive cover as well. One thing for sure, he is more hungry than Fazrul.

You need to listen to me, now.


Regards
Your paymaster via my tax contributions

Alessandro Nesta - Best Defender ever

A pity he should have played in the WC Final.

Nesta + Cannavaro
OR
Nesta + Maldini

Any pairing would be a joy to watch. The Art of Defending.

The man who makes the No 13 jersey famous. Grazie.

Gracias Pep

The man has come this far.

11 years ago, nobody knew much/or ever heard of the name Pep. When you said the name almost everyone would give me a stone face, with the exception of perhaps my fellow longtime Barca fan WX.

Now, because of the team he has built, the football philosophy he has passed on and instilled in his charges, the man that is Josep Guardiola is a household name to all footy fans.

The former captain of the Catalan giants has indeed put Barcelona's football on the world map.

Even the Barca fan in me had my reservations when Pep was installed as manager in 2008 due to his only experience as B team manager.

But now with 4 years gone and 13 titles already, it would perhaps be fitting if Pep signs off with a last Copa Del Rey trophy.

As a player, his major achievement was being part of the 1992 European Cup winning team. A deep lying midfielder whose tacking is not the best, Pep's game revolved around his vision and his eye for the killer pass. Keeping things simple. However serious injuries curtailed his contribution for the Catalans though I believe he played enough during Van Gaal's time to lift the La Liga. His successor in the Barca team was a certain Xavi Hernandez, a player in the similar mould who was to ultimately surpass his master.

As a manager, his contribution to me are numerous:

- Rebuilding the post-Frank Rijkaard team by installing confidence

- Bringing back Gerard Pique

- Important signings in Seydou Keita & Dani Alves

- Discovering and promoting many B team players

- Ultimately creating a team centred around Messi and moving his from a wide attacker to the main forward

- A remodelling of the usual 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 to utilise the talents of his team

The misses would include:

-Getting rid of Yaya Toure for 24mil pounds

- Not managing to integrate Alex Hleb

- Dud signing of Dimitry Chrgrynsky for 27mil  

Still in all, it has been a brilliant 4 years to put Barca on firmly on the world football map. 
Gracias Pep!
Visca Barca, Visca Catalunya!

Streetfighters #3 & #4

Nobody else in the football world at this point of time are as notorious as them. Kick, bully, argue, everything under the sun.

Catching Real in the past week in the UCL semis reminded me of it and made me coined a new nickname for them, yeah at 3ish am.

Introducing the REAL Streetfighters!

El Fenomeno's all around the world review (Apr 2012)

EPL
Simply enjoying the twists and turns and the bookmaking influences. Wigan’s win wasn’t totally unexpected. The top team with such a long win streak was bound to cockup some game on the way, the fact they didn’t turn up for much of the game was surprising, or maybe not.

Stay tuned while the Mancheter teams fight it out. Kun-Carlitos partnership should be a joy to watch.

**At press conference before Norwich's game, Quizzed about Super-Mario, Roberto Mancini's Nokia phone has a familiar message beep, he checks it and tells reporters that its Mario and that he wants to play tomorrow. the media breaks into laughter! good one Roberto hahahahaha

Italy
Can Antonio Conte follow the steps of Pep in becoming yet another former captain to win a league title in his debut season & repay my faith with his reign and clinch the Serie?

Spain
If I got it correct, Jose has always managed to clinch the domestic title in his 2nd season with all his teams, be it Porto, Chelsea, Inter. So Real should clinch it and break Super-Barca’s strangleold.

UCL
RM vs Bayern – This is the sort of fixture I relish, a real Champions league clash. I must say there hasn’t been many this season. The kind of players that will be on display and the rich history of these 2 team in the past. Giovanni Elber, Effenberg, Scholl, Jeremies, Khan, Lizarazu, Sagnol (Roque santa cruz) vs the Raul-Morientes led Real in the 1999 & 2001 clashes. So this is huge and something to look forward. To.

Singapore
DPMM Brunei– Unbelievable, with 2 years out of competitive football.

Harimau Muda – Interesting team after I finally watch them in action. Wan Zack Hiakel is one to watch.

Home United
Shi Jiayi at centreback? Coach Lee is really creative. Qiu-naldo remains lazy but magical. Good to see Indra coming back. Shotaro Ihata is quality. Home vs Chonburi coming up soon in AFC Cup is be great to watch. Always good to see local teams pit their wits against regional teams.

SAFFC
Great disappointment. Same old criticism on Fazrul but doubts creeping in on some of the higher profile players as well. Mislav Karolgan is a delight usually.

Tampines
Still coming to terms with the changes in foreigners who are still adapting. Should get better, lets hope ALK will be able to star in the league soon

Balestier
Darren Stewart returning to his own den and leading the team well. Leadership of Paul Cunningham is still key.

Geylang
Michael King is a real deal. A Englishman who doesn’t play like one looking his at technique and cultured left foot. Good to see more younger players coming through.
Albirex
Good to be watching the play of Okuyama, Shimono and the No 10.

Hougang
Webb is still entertaining and firing. Ante Barac looks an excellent signing and Coach Nenad has built on the strong team spirit from Aide Iskandar’s days. The pitch at Hougang is probably the best turf on catch good football.

Young Lions
Sirina Camara at centreback is weird. Or is it a one-off?Yes I did feel he plays like Eric Abidal last season but need not put him at centreback to confirm my thoughts right haha?

Comments of Tanjong Pagar, Gombak, Young Lions, Woodlands on hold till I watch more of them.


China
Nicolas Anelka’s player-coach appointment is crazy.

Sleague 2012 kicksoff: Hougang Utd vs Tanjong Pajar Utd

The opening night of the 2012 season brought the Jaguars of Tanjong Pajar to the Cheetah’s den of Hougang United.

With last season’s heart-stopping 4-3 thriller still in the back of many fans’ mind, they could be forgiven for expecting something similar in this “catfight”.

But in the end, the storyline was of the home side dominating large parts of the game but unable to grab a winner as the away side put up a valiant display to secure a 1-1 draw.

To be fair, the Jaguars always look threatening whenever they broke for counter-attacks, led by their East Asian foreign trio.

It consisted of the team’s top scorer of last season - Takaya Kawanabe, and a pair of Koreans making their league debut. Midfielder Jang In Jun impressed with his tenacity and touches while Lee Joo Sang showed great feet and was constantly a thorn in the Cheetah’s defence with his darting runs.

Hougang fans, on the other hand, also witnessed the maiden bow of their Croatian duo. While Stanislav Vidakovic probably still need some convincing in defence, 32 year old Ante Barac was at his enterprising best in midfield, showing excellent ball sense and the ability to distribute ala Velimir Crljen (SAFFC’s playmaker in the league’s formative years).

Little doubt hence that the game’s opening goal for Hougang on 23 minutes came via an assist from Barac, whose sweet cross from the left saw flying winger Jordan Webb produce a gigantic leap to plan a header at the far corner for 1-0.

However, the lead did not last as admiration of the part of Vidakovic let Kawanabe in and the Japanese needed no second invitation, showing great composure before equalizing with a left-foot curler on 28 minutes.

The home side was rattled but slowly got back into their mode. A lovely free-kick on 4o minutes by Barac had half the crowd shouting goal but alas the strike ended up at the side-netting.

In the 56th minute, Hougang could have netted the second but Jaguars’ custodian Fajar Sarib denied Fazli Jaffar smartly before the deflection was ballooned wastefully by Nurhilmi Jasni.

By this time, Tanjong Pagar was already slowly getting into their defensive shape of men behind the ball with their young captain Delwinder Singh leading the backline while relying on the speedy Lee upfront on his own to cause problems further upfield.

Hougang were restricted to long range efforts as Barac, Azhar Sairudin and rightback Faizal Amir all made Fajar earned his keep in goal.

In the 86th minute, when they finally manage to penetrate into the Jaguars’ penalty area as Webb created space out of nowhere to setup substitute Basit Hamid, Fajar was again alert to deflect the effort out wide was denied.

Then a flowing move in injury time involving Basit and Barac almost saw Azhar finish the move he started but his final shot lack bite and Fajar was able to claw the ball away.

In the first post-match interview with sleague.com since his return to coaching in Singapore, Hougang coach Nenad Bacina lamented that his players deserved more than a point from the game.

“I am happy with the commitment, approach and how we played, but of course we can’t be happy with the final result.

“But this is football, it doesn’t mean when you control the game for 80 minutes, you will win the game”, he added.
The former Woodlands coach also revealed that his optimism in that Mamadou Diallo should be available for selection the next game as there will be two chances for the livewire forward to clear his mandatory Beep test.

For Jaguars’ coach Terry Pathmanathan, he felt his players still needed time to gel as a team.
“The players was nervous and pressured for much of the game, even the more senior players.

They looked like they were afraid of holding the ball, when in fact, they are more than capable of doing so”, the former national captain commented.

No doubt he will be working on his charges in training to whip them into shape. However there was a sour note for the Jaguars as veteran journeyman Azlan Alipah was taken to hospital in what could be a serious knee injury.

REWIND 8/11/2009 - Eagles overcome all odd to end 8-year barren spell

Date: 8 November 2009
Location: Jalan Besar
Match Attendance: 5,870

8 November 2009 has earned itself a place in Geylang United’s history books after the Eagles rounded off a fine 2009 campaign in style by overcoming their underdog tag to clinch the Singapore Cup.

It was the first piece of silverware that the once all-conquering giants of local football took home in eight long years.

In front of a vociferous crowd of 5,870, the Eagles showed character, resilience and discipline to outwit the smooth passing Thai outfit Bangkok Glass through a solitary strike from substitute Hafiz Rahim in the 82th minute.

Man-of-the match Yazid Yasin was in the form of his life, proving to be a one-man wall on many occasions as he repelled the Thais repeatedly to keep his team in the game. His performance was capped by a superb penalty save in the 87th minute.

Coach Mike Wong made one change to his previous starting eleven as he reinstated club captain Noor Ali into a packed midfield.

The Eagles started the match tentatively as they allowed the Thais the early possession. It was only in the 13th minute that the team put together their first inventive move of the night through a counter attack involving Syed Thaha, Miroslav Latiak, Kim Jae Hong and Noor which led to a corner.

From the ensuing set-piece, the Thais broke swiftly to the other end as dangerman Gbenga Ajayi warded off two challenges before unleashing a shot which Yazid palmed away.

Five minutes later, Masrezwan Masturi (Mas) picked up a loose ball and drove at the Thai team backline. As the defence closed him down, Mas laid the ball out wide to Noor who then picked him out with a first time cross but the latter could not make a clean connection.

Ajaki was proving to be a handful for the Eagles and in the 33th minute, the Nigerian raced into the box and pulled the ball back for his strike partner. Luckily, Walid Lounis managed to deflect the effort to safety.

Geylang was getting into the game gradually and two freekicks either side of the half-time break almost provided the breakthrough.

As the game headed to first half injury time, Kim went on a solo run after being played through by Adrian Dhanaraj before being chopped down unceremoniously by the Thais’ captain Amnart.

Off Latiak’s powerpack attempt which deflected off the wall, Kim stole in and tried to nick the ball past keeper Klisana but the angle was just too tight.
The Korean then curled a brilliant left-foot set-piece attempt himself which narrowly missed the goal three minutes after the break.

Through another counter in the 63th minute, Latiak raced down at goal after Noor had played him in with a delightful chip, however, an unexpected bounce off the artificial turf allowed the Thais’ defence to recover and clear the danger.

It sparked Bangkok Glass into action as they started a series of intense bombardment of the Eagles’ goal soon after with playmaker Peeraphong in the thick of things.
The No. 23 gave the slip to both Adrian and Rastislav Belicak in the 64th minute before testing Yazid with a stinger from inside the box which the keeper responded with a brilliant save.

Eight minutes later, Peeraphong’s fierce drive from the edge of the box again needed the intervention of the increasing busy Yazid.

Next, a far post header back across goal from a corner situation for the Thais soon after bounced dangerously just in front the Eagles goal. Once again Yazid showed great agility to punch clear as the Eagles sought to weather the storm.

Geylang rode their luck and their determination was rewarded in the 82th minute. Klisana flapped at Kim’s corner and a goalmouth melee ensued.
Within the space of seconds, Noor and Hafiz Rahim – who had come on ten minutes earlier for Mas, saw their efforts cannoned off the woodwork.

As it is, Lady Luck smiled at the Eagles in the pinball situation as the ball fell at the feet of Hafiz a second time and this time, the striker who had been unlucky with injuries the past few seasons, produced an unerring finish as the fans in green roared in absolute joy.

A controversial decision from the match officials minutes later then had the Eagles’ fans up in protest.

Referee Kenny Ng had waved play on when Ajaki went down under a challenge inside the box. However, the referee overruled his decision when he saw the linesman flagging and instead gave the Thais a penalty kick.

Geylang players disputed the decision and Kim was booked for carrying his arguments too far.

The stage was set for Yazid to play hero yet again and the Geylang custodian obliged by pulling off a stunning save from Supachai.

Frustration soon took over the Thais and substitute Nantawat was given a straight red card in the 90th minute for a tackle from behind on Kim.

The Eagles held on for the remaining three minutes of added time and joyous scenes soon broke out at the final whistle.

Coach Mike Wong post-match attributed this tremendous cup run to the fantastic team spirit in the dressing room and revealed that he is hoping to build on this success for next season which will also see a return to the AFC Cup for the Eagles.While the Eagles celebrate this latest success, we all hope that this will be the start of a new dawn for Geylang United in the coming seasons.

Report by: Hugo Ng

When everyone is taling about 12Lions

Now that the media and fans have warmed up to 12Lions, think I can take a break about talking about local soccer for awhile.

Ultimately I am on the side of the realists who are concerned about our own local league - S.league!

We will hope for the spillover considering in many sense S.league standard is actually comparable to the M League.

Well just have to strive harder to bring our own league up 1 level when the season begins!

Uniform Derby (S.league) - 31/12/11

A phone call between the coaches was all it took as the country’s two uniformed teams put their recent work on the training pitch to test on New Year’s Eve at Jalan Besar Stadium.

In the end, the game went in favour of the side which have had a solid week of pre-season training – SAF FC, by a 2-0 scoreline.

In contrast, Home United had just started work three days earlier. Coach Lee Lim Seang’s main intention was to check on the condition of his charges after having spent the past weeks back in Korea to attain his UEFA Pro Licence.

During the game, the Warriors paraded their two new signings from Tampines - Shukor Zailan and Hassan Sunny, along Eddie Chang and a bunch of promising young boys who have been promoted from their Prime League team.

Lee, on the same note, took a first look at promising Hafiz Nor (from Tanjong Pagar) and compatriot Chang Jo Yoon (from Gombak), while checking out a new look defence consisting of seasoned campaigners like Sofiyan Abdul Hamid, Jeremy Chiang and Zahid Ahmad along a Korean trialist.

However it was in midfield where the attention was as it featured former Warriors Rhysh Roshan Rai and the ever industrious John Wilkinson, who was returning from his Thai adventure.

New signing Shotaro Ihata was carrying a minor injury, thus did not feature, as were key men Shi Jiayi and Frederic Mendy who were still on holiday.

Earlier on in the game, it was Shahril Jantan in the Warriors goal who was the busiest as he was tested fully by Hafiz, Roshan Rai and Qiu Li. Wilkinson also had a trademark long range blaster crashing against the woodwork.

But it was the returnee in the Warriors’ camp - Ruzaini Zainal (on loan to Young Lions), that was instrumental in the final result as the winger were involved in both moves which saw the strike duo of Fazrul Nawaz and Erwan Gunawan finish off in the 30th and 33th minute.

Notably, the second period saw the return to action of Hassan in the Warriors’ goal and the national custodian impressed in his run-out with a couple of good saves.

Post-match, SAF coach Richard Bok expressed satisfaction with the game as he maintained the priority in making his team gel quickly before the season begins.

“We still have five players who are not back with us”, referring to Daniel Bennett, foreign signings Mislav Karolgan, Shimpei Sakurada, Tatsuro Inui and former Japanese youth international Seiji Saito.

With his recent acquisitions, Bok is hopeful that the reshaped team will be able to play the ideal type of football he is envisaging.

“We are trying to move towards a passing game, to keep the ball as much as possible. Hopefully, with these new guys, we can build a more balanced game to challenge for honours”.

While Bok has settled on his squad and strategy for the coming season, it is obvious the same cannot be same with Lee.

Quizzed about his defence which seemed vulnerable on many occasions during the game following the confirmation of defensive rock Valery Hiek to Thai outfit Bangkok Glass, it seemed Lee had already in place a partial solution.

“As you saw today, we got a big problem (in defence)!” he quipped.

“So I have called Kenji (Arai) and he is coming back next week to be with us”.

The experienced Japanese defender had earlier left the Protectors after not being offered an extension to his deal.

“People can worry about our defence now, but we train as a unit and let’s see what we can show when the season starts”, he smiled confidently.

Comment: If we are to stand a chance against China..

Yes some players have been dropped before the first qualifier began.

But as 4 matches gone by, we have seen some players really being out of depth on the Asian level. They may be stars in the local S.League, but would it be wise in persisting with them?

We all note the incredible absence of Qiu Li & Khairul Amri. But have we forgotten about Noh Alam Shah?? NAS may have underperformed in the Suzuki Cup (when he was partnered with Duric). But during the WC qualifiers where we need a battering target-man against the bigger teams, NAS I believe would have been useful. His international goals against big teams includ include strikes against West Asia's Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Jordan (as far as I remember). This is a man who can compete against the giant Asian defenders. Duric, to be trueful, have struggled to
find form somewhat when pitted against them. Duric's strike-rate on a bigger stage would probably be just against Tajikistan?


How I wish NAS can be at JBS to bully the over-the hill Li Weifeng out of his game on Tuesday.. Lets hope Duric can raise his game in probably what will be his last home international game & kick the China skipper's ass off before his sunset with the Lions.

With Khairul Nizam still a distance away to inherit the No 9 shirt, I do think among all eligible Singaporean men, NAS is still our option to go. His finishing may not be 20/20, but his other attributes make him a good leader up the field.

Anyway, if I am in the Lions' hotseat on Tuesday, I will pump forward with this line-up. The onus is for the 2 front men to deliver, while the 2 wide men try their best to support..

Lionel Lewis

Ismail Yunos (RB)
Jumaat Jantan (LB)
Sevki Sha'bban (LCB)
Daniel Bennett (RCB)

Hafiz Rahim (RM)
Isa Halim
Mustafic Fahrudin
Firdaus Idros (LM)

Shahril Ishak

Aleksander Duric

Supersub: Shi Jiayi


"I am neither an expert nor a die-hard fan, but I am Singaporean"

Full Time report : Hougang United vs Tanjong Pagar (6 Oct)

Seven goal thriller ends Hougang favour

The fire in the cauldron of the Hougang Stadium was almost extinguished, not by the rain, by a gutsy Tanjong Pagar side on Thursday night as the Jaguars were minutes away from snatching a credible point after coming from three goals behind only to be denied by an injury-time Jordan Webb winner.

The final score of 4-3 in favour of Hougang was not on the script for much of the game. A header from veteran winger Noor Ali off a corner had given the Cheetahs a 7th minute lead which Carlos Delgado doubled on 24th after great set-up work from Webb, who went on a mazy run down the left wing.

After racing to a two-goal lead, the home side then slowed the tempo a little which allowed the Jaguars to start fashioning a few moves through Frenchman Cyril Bagnost and rising starlet Hafiz Nor.

However, Brazilian Diego Oliveira should have added to Hougang’s tally before the break but for Jaguars’ keeper Ng Jia Fa and journeyman Azlan Alipah.

Midfield general Azhar Sairudin also had an outrageous lob attempt from half-way field which just landed on the top of the Jaguars’ net.

Tanjong Pagar came out of the second period looking for a way back in the game with the introduction of Patrick Paran to partner Takaya Kawanabe upfront. Both were to have something to cheer about as the game went on.

On 64 minutes, another assist from Webb allowed another half-time substitute Sobrie Mazlan to find the bottom corner for 3-0 and the Jaguars looked dead and buried.

Two minutes later, Bagnost pulled his team straight back into the contest. The former Etoile man showed great enterprise and determination to get into position before fortune benefited him as his left footer, which appeared to have been intended as a cross, sneaked in via Fadhil Salim’s near post.

The impressive Hafiz then almost got his third goal in three games but he hesitated in a one vs one situation which allowed Fadhil to smother the danger.

A counter-attack on 76 minutes saw Kawanabe calmly slotted it in for 3-2 after a brilliant through ball from Jaguars’ substitute Shamil Sharif was controlled immaculately by the Japanese.

Hafiz, who had been threatening all night, finally stamped his mark on 79 minutes as he showed a combination of skill and determination to set up Paran for a simple finish to tie the game up at three apiece.

The away side could have easily sank the hearts of the Hougang diehards on 85 minutes Bagnost showed great feet and balance to trick his way down the left flank and squared the ball to Kawanabe. However the diminutive forward’s volley was met by the wonderful reflexes of Fadhil.

This laid the platform for the home win in stoppage time as Webb met Fazli Jaffar’s freekick and flicked the ball home to ensure late drama at Hougang.

Cheetahs’ coach Aide Iskandar was a relieved man at the end.

“I knew they were on a high and could spring a surprise. They have improved a lot since the start of the season and credit to them and Terry, who has done a good job”, he said.

While he lamented the lapse of concentration and defensive errors that almost cost his side, the former national skipper showed pragmatism in the end, “I am glad that my boys kept pushing. At his stage of the season, I guess the most important thing is three points”.

On the other end, with regards to the comeback which nearly materialized, Jaguars’ team manager Steve Nathan noted the emphasis on being focused and the increased confidence of the players following Aide's substitutions at half-time of Noor Ali (tactical) and Delgado (illness).

He remarked, “ I thought the team’s performance was excellent, considering it was the first time that we have played in the kind of weather”.

“You can see we took awhile to adapt. But I am pleased with the fight back, the spirit displayed and I thought we deserved to win”, he added.

Hougang next travel up to Jurong West to face off with Gombak on 12 Oct while the Jaguars renew ties with their old adversaries Geylang a day later at Bedok.

~extracted from sleague.com~ hugo boss

s.League 4/9: Hougang 2-1 Etoile - Azhar marks comeback with winner

A moment of improvisation from Azhar Sairudin earned Hougang United a morale boosting 2-1 victory over defending champions Etoile FC as the league schedule resumed on Sunday evening.

The 25 year-old had missed his club’s last couple of matches due to suspension but showed again on his return how much his market value has risen this season.

In the 67th minute, not long after Etoile has cancelled out Vitor Borges’ first half opener, Azhar pounced on a loose clearance off a freekick, evaded a challenge, before firing in a half-volley with the outside of his right boot to give the Cheetahs’ the initiative for a second time on the night. It was a lead which they never relinquished.

The game was even from the start as Azhar and his partner Carlos Delgado sought to tussle against the ever-improving Theo Raymond in the centre of the park. On the wings, Cheetah Jordan Webb and the Etoile’s Sirina Camara were also looking in menacing mood.

Hougang took the lead in the 23th minute as Delgado’s smart distribution left Webb one-on-one with an Etoile defender. The fleet-footed Canadian proceeded to storm his way down the by-line and setup Borges for an easy finish.

The French side tried to hit back with a couple of in-swinging corners that caused the home team a few scares. However it was only in the 40th minute through Raymond’s freekick that Fadhil Salim was really tested. The Hougang custodian’s steady hands proved vital in neutralizing the threats in this instant and many others during the match.

Early in the second period, Etoile upped their tempo and coach Guglielmo Arena followed up by unleashing his wild cards in the form of Aly Doumbouya and Hicham Bouchemlal at the 59th minute mark.

Five minutes later, the game was levelled as defender Selim Kaabi nodded home from close range after good work from Jonathan Toto off a Raymond corner.

Next came the moment of improvisation from Azhar, which went in off Etoile’s keeper Antonin Trilles’ left post. This sparked jubilant scenes as the players celebrated the delightful goal right in front of their die-hard faithful.

Doumbouya, Bouchemlal and Raymond all had decent chances at goal but none managed to seriously test Fadhil after that.

Thus, it was left to Trilles to produce the save of the night as the French keeper tipped over from Brazilian substitute Diego Oliveira’s flying header in the 89th minute.

At the other end, Cheetahs’ captain Shariff Samat and his defence worked effectively to repel the French attempts late in the game to hang on for the three points.

Speaking to sleague.com after the game, Cheetahs’ coach Aide Iskandar was evidently a happy man.

“This is a result of good team discipline and everyone taking responsibility, it was never an easy game against a well-drilled team, especially after three weeks’ break”.

“But it is good to see us start winning against the top teams again, which is good for team morale leading to the semi-finals of the Singapore Cup”, he explained.

The former national skipper also had kind words for his match winner, “No doubt Azhar has potential, his technical abilities allow him to make those good passes”.

With his side’s recent good form having been halted by this defeat, Etoile coach Arena was visibly unsatisfied.

“Our individual mistakes cost us. Hougang did not have that many good chances to score, except the header at the end”, he commented through his translator.

He then vented his frustration at the absence of proper facilities and a perceived unfairness in the way the league fixtures were rescheduled.

“We did not have goalposts at Queenstown for training till three days ago”.

He added, “This weekend is a FIFA date for internationals, but Etoile had to play, minus our two players”, referring to the absence of Franklin Anzite and Serge Souchon on national duties.

“It is not correct”, as he lamented the fact that other title challengers were not scheduled for action.

Next up for Etoile will be a tough battle against the Albirex side on Wednesday night and Arena will certainly hope his team can rediscover their winning mentality then.


~credits: Pohui from Bolasepako.com and s-league.com~

Causeway Aftermath ST 29/7: : Never more proud - Poor refereeing and tough fouls did not faze Lions, says Avramovic

'That was the most important goal of my career. It was so sweet to score in front of the Malaysian fans.'

SHI JIAYI, Singapore's goal-scorer



Singapore players tossing coach Raddy Avramovic into the air after the drawn match, which sent the Lions through to the third round 6-4 on aggregate. -- PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
View more photos


Malaysia 1
Singapore 1
(Singapore win 6-4 on aggregate)

KUALA LUMPUR: Two Malaysian defenders, 85,000 fans at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, and millions more watching on television, had their eyes glued on Singapore midfielder Shi Jiayi.

The 27-year-old glided past his markers and, with the weight of a country on him, slotted the ball past goalkeeper Khairul Fahmie, ending any hopes Malaysia had of qualifying for the next stage of the World Cup.

As the sell-out crowd fell into stunned silence, the tense Singapore bench erupted.

'That,' an exuberant Shi said, 'was the most important goal of my career. We were all really nervous because we had a lot of chances to score but their goalkeeper was amazing until then.

'It was so sweet to score in front of the Malaysian fans.'

Shi's 73th-minute strike made sure that Singapore went through to the third round 6-4 on aggregate, and that any complaints about Malaysia's controversial opening goal yesterday were moot.

After a scuffle outside the penalty box in the 58th minute, Japanese referee Takayama Hiroyoshi raised his hands as if to signal for a free kick to the Lions.

The Singapore players halted.

But Malaysia winger S. Kunanlan did not stop playing, threading a pass through to striker Safee Sali.

The Tigers captain made no mistake as he put the ball past Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud to spark wild celebrations in the stands.

Another goal without reply for Malaysia in the remaining 32 minutes would have knocked Singapore out.

Lions coach Raddy Avramovic was so livid, he had to be restrained by his staff from going onto the field.

'It was really poor refereeing because he put the whistle to his mouth. I don't know if he blew or not but all our players stopped,' the Serb later said, his composure restored but the anger still simmering.

Another sore point for Singapore was the way Izwan was seemingly targeted by the Malaysians for some rough treatment.

'They whacked my head, ribcage and even my back whenever I jumped for a cross,' said the 20-year-old. 'But I kept my cool and took it as motivation to fight harder each time to stop them.'

In only his third international game, he pulled off some crucial saves, including a point-blank block to deny Malaysia's tricky winger Kunanlan in the opening minutes.

As Izwan walked gingerly to the dressing room after the final whistle, he was mobbed by his teammates, reward after a performance that Avramovic described as 'simply oustanding'.

Malaysia coach K. Rajagobal had a different view.

He felt that the Lions goalkeeper, along with several of his teammates, went down too easily to waste time.

Singapore captain Shahril Ishak was even steadily pushed off the pitch by Malaysia's Ahmad Fakri when he was substituted in the 78th minute.

'They disrupted our tempo and rhythm because of the injury stoppages every few minutes in the second half,' Rajagobal complained.

'To me, it wasn't a fair result; we deserved to win this game.'

Try telling that to the Singapore players, who came back out onto the field after the home fans had cleared out to applaud the 300-strong Lions supporters left in the stands.

Or to Avramovic, who was thrown into the air three times by his charges to kick off what was likely to be a long night of celebration.

'I've never been more proud of my players,' said the 61-year-old, as a rare smile made its way onto his face.

'They were real fighters for 180 minutes and did their country proud.

'Now, we all need a break.'

*****************************************************************************

IMO, plenty of work to be done though. Yes they have redeemed themselves, they have got much of Singapore excited again. But can this last the course? Will Singaporeans desert the team again when they struggle against Asia's best?
Why Raddy not utilise his subs more? Is he lacking confidence in them? Are they not ready yet?
I thought we do have decent players on the bench as well.

But bottomline is, We need every Singaporeans' effort in moving Singapore football forward thats for sure.

Majulah Singapura!

Buildup to Causeway Derby: Shahril's free role (ST 21 Jul)

S'pore captain given licence to roam and harass Malaysia

'(It) has toughened me up because I get whacked and tackled many times during a game. I'm a smarter player now, knowing when to release the ball and how to deal with tight defences.'
SHAHRIL ISHAK on the benefits from his Indonesian stint
Midfielder Shahril Ishak (right), in action against Chinese Taipei on Monday, revelling in his new free role. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING

BARELY five months ago, Shahril Ishak feared that he had played his last game for Singapore.

His future with the Lions appeared to be in limbo after he joined the Medan Chiefs in the breakaway Indonesian Premier League (LPI), which was then not recognised by world football's governing body Fifa.

Fortunately, the 27-year-old playmaker received clearance from Fifa earlier this week, and is back in the national fold and raring to go for the crunch 2014 World Cup two-legged qualifier against Malaysia.

Said the former Home United player: 'I'm so relieved. I had given up all hope at one point.

'It was tough just training with the guys but not getting a chance to play out there with them.'

His return is a welcome one for Singapore as they prepare to face Asean champions Malaysia in the first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday night.

For he not only wears the captain's armband, but is also the Lions' midfield linchpin, embracing a new free role which coach Raddy Avramovic has entrusted to him.

Shahril said: 'I used to play left wing in the past, which was a bit tough as I didn't get the ball much.

'Now, I have the freedom to go wherever I want and create trouble for the opposition.'

He did just that in a 3-2 friendly win over Chinese Taipei on Monday, linking up well with fellow midfielders Shahdan Sulaiman and Shi Jiayi to create openings for themselves and front-man Aleksandar Duric.

He has revelled in a similar position for Medan, supplying more than half of league top scorer Laakkad Abdelhadi's 13 goals in 18 games.

Armed with a bag of tricks and a keen eye for threading through balls, Shahril has also benefited from Singapore's new, short-passing game in a 4-2-3-1 set-up.

But this playing style, he says, could come undone if the Tigers adopt an offside trap by pushing up their backline.

'We have to find a way around that, by timing our runs well to spring the trap,' he added. 'It's important to keep things simple - pass to the player in space and then find an opening to receive the ball back.'

Shahril believes his overseas playing experience puts him in good stead to thrive as the main creative spark.

'Playing in Indonesia has toughened me up because I get whacked and tackled many times during a game,' said Shahril, who also played for Persib Bandung in the Indonesia Super League last year.

'I'm a smarter player now, knowing when to release the ball and how to deal with tight defences.'

Skills aside, he also has a wealth of experience. With 83 international appearances since his debut against the Maldives in 2003, he is the second most-capped player in the squad, behind only Daniel Bennett (97).

Along with Shahdan and Shi, Shahril feels Singapore's hopes of victory against their Causeway neighbours will rest on their shoulders.

He said: 'Our main job is to supply and support Duric up front. If we do that well, we've got a great chance of beating Malaysia.'

By Sanjay Nair (ST)

Buildup to Causeway Derby: Mustafic's eye firmly on Safiq - ST (21 Jul)

By Lee Min Kok (ST)


THE unenviable task of stifling Malaysia's midfield will likely fall to a Lion who has filled the defensive role with distinction over the last five years.

And midfield enforcer Mustafic Fahrudin - back in Singapore after a two-year spell in the Indonesia Super League (ISL) - has warned that it is Tigers' captain Safiq Rahim whom his teammates will have to watch closely during Saturday's clash with their Causeway rivals.

He said: 'Safiq's free kicks are superb. If not for him scoring twice in the first round, we would have been playing Chinese Taipei, not Malaysia, this Saturday.

'We will try not to concede any free kicks around the penalty area, because he is deadly in those situations.'

Safiq, 24, scored from a free kick in both legs of the 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Taiwanese, ensuring that the Tigers scraped through on away goals (aggregate 4-4).

He also enhanced his reputation as a man for the big occasion, netting a superb curling effort from 20m against English giants Liverpool last Saturday.

Set-piece prowess aside, the Selangor man, who is just 1.67m-tall, is expected to provide the ammunition for star striker Safee Sali.

But Safiq is only one weapon in the Malaysians' midfield arsenal, pointed out the Serbia-born Mustafic.

'Their wing-men are very fast, very skilful and we will need to find a way to stop them. I will try my best to protect the back four,' he added.

Call him the midfield destroyer, water carrier or hatchetman - each name less glamorous than the last - for the Lions, but the 'Claude Makelele' role (named after the hard-tackling Frenchman) is one of the most under-rated in modern football.

Against Chinese Taipei on Monday, coach Raddy Avramovic deployed his former compatriot in his favoured position, giving fellow midfielders Hariss Harun and Shahdan Sulaiman the licence to roam forward.

But Mustafic, 30, whose wife recently gave birth to their second child, insists that nothing gives him more satisfaction than snapping at opponents' heels and launching into bone-crunching tackles.

'It (the role) suits me well, I feel comfortable playing there and best of all, it allows my teammates the freedom to attack,' he said.

Buildup to Causeway Derby on 23 Jul: Malaysia's Safee longs for 1st goal against Lions - ST (21Jul)

'Bennett is a very intelligent player and he reads the game well.'
SAFEE SALI, Malaysia striker, on being a marked man of the Singapore defender

HE HAS scored 13 goals in 29 games for Malaysia since his debut in 2006, but top striker Safee Sali has so far failed to find the net against bitter rivals Singapore in three friendly meetings.

And the 27-year-old, whose reputation is fast-growing within the region, is planning to erase this blot on his CV come Saturday, when the Tigers meet the Lions in the second round of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers - his first competitive outing against the Republic.

'Yes, I've scored against Singapore at the Under-23 level (in the Merdeka Cup in 2007), but never in a full international or a friendly,' Safee told The Straits Times in a phone interview yesterday.

'If I score on Saturday, good. It will be even better if we win.'

The stocky 1.70m forward will first need to overcome veteran centre-back Daniel Bennett, 33, who has vowed to give Safee a tough time.

But having netted a brace in Saturday's 3-6 friendly loss to English club Liverpool on his comeback from injury, the Pelita Jaya hitman is confident that he can get the better of the Singapore defence.

Said Safee: 'Bennett is a very intelligent player and he reads the game well. I'm getting close to my full fitness and that will be important.'

Safee, along with skipper and midfield general Safiq Rahim, can expect to be marked men when they face their long-time adversaries in front of a sell-out 6,000 crowd at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

But Safiq, a key threat for Malaysia with his deadly free kicks, is banking on his teammates to rise to the occasion.

Said the 24-year-old: 'Everybody has their own weaknesses and strengths, I'm sure the rest of the team will have something extra to give on Saturday.'

Tigers coach K. Rajagobal's young charges are due to arrive this morning and will have two days to get used to the artificial pitch at Jalan Besar.

LEE MIN KOK

El Fenomeno's Final Preview

Long since I did a proper blog piece and today seems the correct time to do one.

Though a Barca fan, I have not been following them as closely this season due to the cancellation of StarHub. Even in the UCL, I have been catching more highlights shows than live games. The feeling is such that everyone seems like an expert or fan of Barca now (prob since 2009 and the Spain effect) that this I feel no longer as exclusive. With so many new supporters, I have been taking a back seat. However, my knowledge is still very DARE.

Anyway as per in 2009, there are defensive problems in the Blaugranas tonite. Abidal, who missed the game through his red card at Stamford Bridge, may miss out again due to fitness problems. Dani Alves, however is eligible after missing 09 due to suspension as well.

Hopefully, Abidal is rendered fit so as to allow Puyol to be deployed in the middle. This is not to say I dont trust Mascherano. Anytime anyday, I would love YAYA TOURE to be back. He played a starring role in defence towards the end of the 2009 season. Strength, pace, ability, he is superb. Similarly, I rate him better and more crucial than Busquets, whom I often criticised. Sergi has a tendency of giving away balls in danger areas and hopefully he has improved on it.

Still Yaya would be my choice in DC or DMC.

Indeed, the missing African connection could be the undoing of Barca. Samuel Etoo was crucial in 06 and 09 while Yaya's physical strength could be missed. But the absence of CR7 also reduces the aerial power on MU's side. David Villa has also showed his class.

Revenge? No doubt with Jose having failed to stop Barca, the onus now is on SAF. It will definitely be a much tougher game than in 09 with revenge on their mind. But hopefully this revenge mentality would prove a little too much and work in my team's favour.

I remain hopeful. Wembley will crown the fourth title to either team. Hopefully its mine. Visca Barca, Visca Catalunya.