Competition: Home United FC vs Singapore Armed Forces
FC
Date & Time: 19 May 2005 7:30:00 PM
Venue: Bishan
In-form uniform teams collide
A fiery clash awaits us at the Bishan Stadium, as the S.Leagues
two uniform teams meet for the second time this season, with SAFFC
edging the last encounter by a solitary goal.
This should be some clash, as the two teams have been running into
form recently, as they garner points in the race for the league
title.
Home United have won 4 out of their last 5 games, scoring 13 and
conceding just 3 in the process. On the other hand, SAFFC have gone
unbeaten since losing to champions Tampines in the first game of
the season, and topped it all by taking revenge on Tampines last
week, and overtaking the Stags to be in pole position at this point
in the season.
Indeed, the Warriors have blossomed under the tutelage of coach Kim
Poulsen, and now look like one of the firm favourites to wrestle
the title from Tampines this season.
Poulsen will once more look towards his sides attacking prowess to
get the points in this game. Thai midfielder Therdsak Chaiman was
inspirational in his sides win over Tampines last week, and Home
will let him run free at their own peril.
Aleksandar Duric has also done well in his first season at the
club, but he has to pay tribute to the excellent service he has
gotten down the flanks. Wingers Ali Imran Lomri and Noor Ali have
been two big reasons why the Warriors have been so impressive this
season, and one feels the key to stopping the Warriors may be to
stifle the play down the wings from these two players.
The Warriors will be missing the presence of Vladan Seric, as the
defender serves a one match suspension due to successive bookings.
Still, the Warriors should have enough in reserve to make up for
his absence.
Home will be quietly confident that they can get the points in the
bag, as they have run into a spot of good form, after a slow start
to the season by their standards. Some may point to the distraction
of the AFC Cup, but the fact remains that Home, touted as one of
the title contenders, are lying in fifth spot, seven points behind
leaders SAFFC.
Peres De Oliveira will be one player especially eager to score on
the night, as a solitary goal would make him the fifth player to
notch up a century of goals in the S.League. This is some
achievement, for a player deployed mostly as a midfielder.
He would then join fellow teammates Egmar Goncalves and Indra
Sahdan in the 100 club, which is an insight into the potential
firepower Home United have to unleash.
Notably, Indra took his tally to eight for the season with his
brace against Geylang last week, and is now joint top scorer.
Indras goalscoring ability has never been doubted, and he will
need to be at his most clinical to break down the Warriors
defence.
So expect a vintage display of attacking ability come Thursday
night. SAFFC have been unbeatable since the start of the season,
and with Kim Poulsens one match at a time policy, they certainly
look very capable of returning the S.League trophy to the Choa Chu
Kang Stadium.
Armed with home advantage and their recent form, it may very well
be Home that stands the best chance of derailing the Warriors march
towards the title.