Home lets two-goal lead slip
Two goals in the space of five minutes by Shi Jia Yi and Khairul
Amri earned the Young Lions a 2-2 draw with Home United at the
Yishun Stadium earlier this evening.
The Protectors looked odds on favourites to win the tie comfortably
after goals by Egmar Goncalves and Indra Sahdan gave them a 2-0
lead.
But then Shi scored a penalty in the 75th minute, followed by
Khairul's leveller in the 80th minute.
After giving the fans a semblance of hope through albeit short
appearances in the last two friendlies in the break, striker Agu
Casmir was again absent from the Young Lions squad, due to an
injury sustained late in training.
Norfahazly Kamsan was drafted into the starting line-up alongside
Khairul, ably supported by Ruhaizad Ismail and the tireless Itimi
Dickson.
The match started brightly for the Young Lions. A harried pass from
the usually sure-footed Aide Iskandar was intercepted by Khairul,
who released an on-rushing Tengku Mushadad.
Tengku controlled the pass in the Home penalty area, and he should
have been luckier when his well-struck shot smacked the
upright.
But that opening minute endeavour proved not to be of any prophetic
significance, as the Home players recollected themselves from that
early scare.
In fact, for the rest of the half, and most of the match
thereafter, much of the contest was all Home.
Employing a 3-5-2 wingback system, the Protectors, marshaled at the
back by the classiest and most experienced duo of Aide and skipper
S.Subramani, gave the Young Lions no easy chances to approach the
goal.
The goal is guarded by no less than former Young Lion and national
number one Lionel Lewis, who returned to Yishun Stadium for the
first time since his transfer window move to Home United.
The back three was well-protected in turn by Anuruck Srikerd,
giving wingbacks Imran Sahib and A.Siva Kumar the ease-of-mind and
confidence to charge into the Young Lions' half.
In J.Surachai, Peres de Oliveira, Egmar and Indra, Home United have
class and experience all the way through their line-up, and it was
the evergreen Surachai who was the first to test Young Lions keeper
Hassan Sunny.
In the 18th minute, the 36-year-old former Thai international
played a quick free-kick with Oliveira, before cutting in from the
left and letting fly.
Hassan was at his alert-best though, getting into the perfect
position along his line to cradle the shot.
Two minutes later, Surachai touched the ball on for Oliveira, who
in turn tried to bend a shot from 20 metres out. It was a fantastic
effort, causing confusion within the area, but unfortunately hit
the post.
Young Lions skipper Baihakki Khaizan was not having his best game
tonight, and his errant pass in the 24th minute was intercepted by
Indra. The 26-year-old striker wiggled his way past his attendant
before snapping a vicious shot low into the bottom corner.
Hassan was again up to the mark, diving low to turn the ball behind
for a corner.
On 39 minutes, Oliveria found himself trapped down the right. He
played the ball back for Surachai who then, with the deftest of
touches, switched play to the left by angling a pass for Siva
Kumar.
Hassan again was there to bail his shaky defence out again. This
time he rushed out quickly to prevent Siva Kumar from cutting the
ball back for an unmarked Egmar Goncalves and instead turned it
away.
Young Lions' Kamarulariffin Abdul Karim was having a torrid time at
right-back, seeing as to how all but one of the Home goal-shooting
opportunities came from his area of protection. Inevitably, and
unfortunately for the 21-year-old, Home finally took the lead when
his defensive ineptness was exploited in first half injury
time.
From just inside the Young Lions' half, Anuruck played a hopeful
over-the-top through ball. Kamarulariffin misjudged his attempted
header to clear, and the ball found the feet of Indra. Arguably one
of the fastest strikers in the S-League, Indra's first touch was
brilliant as he raced his way into the box.
Hassan rushed out from his line to close the angle with his defence
still caught flat-footed, but the striker played a perfect
slide-rule pass for his strike partner Egmar, who had the simple
task of stroking the ball into an empty net.
If the Young Lions had started the match the brighter of the two
sides in the first, it was Home who took the initiative in the
second.
Barely three minutes after the restart, Indra again intercepted an
errant pass by Baihakki. Two quick passes later lead to a stinging
Surachai shot, but again, Hassan was quick on his line, this time
flamboyantly diving to his left to hold on to the shot. A lesser
keeper would have simply turned the ball away.
Credit to the Young Lions, and especially the defence, for settling
down well from that scare, and it might have taken them the entire
first half, but the cubs were finally starting to play as a
pack.
The introduction of Juma'at Jantan in the 57th minute proved
inspirational for the home side, as he injected much needed drive
and urgency into a largely lethargic outfit.
But the Protectors hit once again on the break, when Egmar released
Oliveira on the left-hand side in the box. Kamarulariffin was
inattentive once again, leaving Hassan no choice but to come off
his line.
The result was a carbon copy of the first goal. This time, Oliveira
slid the ball square for a welcoming Indra to steer the ball into
an unguarded net to make it 2-0 to Home United.
The Protectors stepped off the pedal thereafter, and the Young
Lions had more time on the ball.
And, as witnessed many times this season, if there is one thing the
Young Lions are noted for, it is their resilience. A team that
never says die, all rallying behind Shi and the emerging influence
of Itimi.
Dickson was everywhere, coming in deep to collect the ball,
tirelessly running at and by defenders, getting knocked down but
always coming straight back up for another try.
It was his effort that earned his side their first goal. He
released substitute Ridhuan Muhamad down the right flank, and
Ridhuan whipped in a beautiful cross into the Home penalty
area.
Khairul gracefully chested the ball down before firing in a sweet
volley. His former teammate Lewis pulled off a brilliant reflex
save but from the rebound, Itimi was adjudged to have been impeded
upon as he was challenging for the loose ball, earning his side a
penalty.
Shi stepped up, struck his penalty but Lewis flung himself to his
right to save. However, assistant referee Nazeer Hussain judged
that Lewis moved early and referee S.Kumar whistled for the
spot-kick to be retaken.
Shi stepped up again, calm and collected as ever, and this time
Lewis chose to dive the wrong way as the Young Lions pulled one
back.
The Young Lions roared their way back into contention. And in the
80th minute, their persistence was rewarded, from the most unlikely
of sources.
Defending outside his own penalty area, Indra collected the ball.
From out of nowhere, the imposing figure of Precious Emuejeraye
charged him down, out-muscling the striker before his next touch
took him inside the box.
Emuejeraye drove the ball low and hard into the six-yard area and
Khairul timed his run to perfection, emphatically dispatching his
shot high into the roof of the net to level the score, much to the
delight of the home fans amongst the 3,244-strong crowd.
Home United though had one more chance to come away with all three
points when Egmar turned his marker in the 83rd minute.
But once again, Man-of-the-Match Hassan Sunny was there to ensure
his side held on for the draw.
After the game, Young Lions coach Fandi Ahmad had a reason to be
disappointed.
He said: "(We) played better in the first half but once again could
not score, and I guarantee you, every time we play good football
but cannot score, the opponent will strike.
"But for the last 20 minutes, the boys showed their never-give-up
attitude and they were rewarded. Even though I feel we should not
have been in that position in the first place (going 2 goals down)
I am delighted and extremely proud of their performance."
Best player: It is a tough call to make. Itimi Dickson was tireless
and utterly unselfish throughout the contest. He was left. He was
right. He was twisting, turning, getting knocked down. But he was
the epitome of the spirit of the resilience for the Young Lions.
However, for his command of his area and protecting the goal behind
a normally reputable defence, Hassan Sunny gets the nod. Both the
goals were no fault of his, but if it were not for him, Home United
would have landed a landslide victory tonight.
Disappointing: Without a doubt, Baihakki Khaizan. We all know what
this kid is capable of. He has quick feet, a brilliant footballing
brain, and most importantly, all the right intangibles to succeed.
Much of the nation's hopes of success lie on his shoulders, but if,
as his coach agrees, he learns to play to his strengths and not try
to do too much, everything else will fall into place. A projected
mainstay of the national team for the next decade, and undoubted
leader of this team, he needs to heed that advice.