Reigning S.League champions SAFFC
had the better of a five goal second half blitz at Choa Chu Kang as
they edged Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) on Wednesday
evening.
A goalless first half gave little indication of the excitement
which was to follow.
Ashrin Shariff and Aleksander Duric had found the net within 10
minutes of each other, with Tetsuya Okayama's brief equaliser in
between after a breathless start to the second half.
Okayama then brought the visitors back to 2-2, only to have Daniel
Bennett seal the win for the Warriors in the 74th minute.
The game took some time to warm up as both sides opened the
first-half sluggish and blunt in attack.
A heavy downpour earlier also left the pitch heavily waterlogged,
and slowed the tempo of the game in the first half.
The home side came close to drawing first blood in the 12th minute
when Duric failed to connect with Mustaqim Manzur's cross from the
right.
The Warriors upped the pressure and in the 16th minute John
Wilkinson forced a fine save from Albirex keeper Norio Takahashi
with a volley from range.
Albirex were then let off in the 26th minute as Duric fired wide
with only Takahashi to beat following Therdsak Chaiman's run and
pass.
Five minutes from half-time, Takahashi came to the fore again as he
palmed away Ashrin's effort from Noor Ali's cross.
The pressure that SAFFC had been bringing to bear finally paid off
in the 51st minute.
After Duric had his shot blocked for a corner by Takahashi,
set-piece specialist Therdsak swung in a cross which Ashrin nodded
home for 1-0.
The goal ignited a flurry of action over the next 20 minutes as
both sides looked for the next goal.
It was to come for the Japanese side and it came through the former
Nagoya Grampus 8 striker Okayama.
Shaiful Esah blocked Okayama's first effort but was floored by the
shot and the Japanese forward was on hand to volley home the second
opportunity.
The 3,208 crowd sensed a battle and the home fans were soon
celebrating again.
Fullback Shaiful swung in a freekick from the right and Duric rose
highest to plant his header past Takahashi.
Their celebrations were cut short in double quick time though, as
Albirex fashioned their second equaliser of the night within
seconds.
Veteran striker Okayama demonstrated his class in front of goal
again as he headed Shin Hosogai's corner past Shahril Jantan.
Albirex were in the ascendancy now and dominated play for the next
10 minutes or so.
With a touch of fortune however, it was SAFFC who were to seal the
match in the 74th minute.
Daniel Bennett's weak effort from Mustaqim's freekick was punched
away by Takahashi, only for the keeper to crash into his own
defender Jun Ishikawa and rebound the ball for a grateful
Bennett.
The SAFFC defender accepted the gift by snapping his header into an
empty net, as Takahashi, who had kept Albirex in the game in the
first half, looked on in horror.
Substitute Masrezwan Masturi then fluffed a great chance to kill
off the game four minutes later.
His mazy run had the Albirex defence opening up for him but the
former Woodlands Wellington man opted to pass to an offside Duric
instead.
Masrezwan's miss was not to cost SAFFC too dearly though as they
played out the final period of the game without much fuss.
"It was definitely good entertainment. We played well in the
first-half, kept possession and controlled the flanks, but we were
shaky in the second-half," said SAFFC coach Richard Bok.
"We worked very hard on the finishing and we're pleased with the
results tonight.
"We have to keep our momentum up until the end of the season. With
the AFC Cup (also) to keep in mind, we must maintain our
form."
Albirex honcho Hiroaki Hiraoka was left to bemoan his side's
defending at set-pieces, which were the origin of all three of
SAFFC's goals.
"We felt that our set-pieces were good when we attack and we're
playing like how we do it during training," said Hiraoka.
"But we find that our set-pieces isn't very good when we're
defending and that's why we let in goals easily.
"The good thing is that we never gave up throughout the match and
that is a positive thing.
"Physically we could not match SAFFC as only one of our players is
above 1.80m, but I think in the games to come and with more
training, we'll be better in matching the others
physically."