Captain Yokokawa’s brilliance helps five-star Albirex ease past struggling Hougang

SINGAPORE – Playing in his new position as a right-back, Albirex Niigata captain Asahi Yokokawa achieved a personal breakthrough on Saturday.

The 20-year-old bagged a brace for the first time, as his side thrashed bottom dwellers Hougang United 5-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Yokokawa, who was deployed in midfield earlier in the season, had never scored more than one goal in a competitive match previously.

“It’s the first time I’ve scored twice throughout my professional career, so I’m really happy,” said Yokokawa, who also had an assist in his third game as right-back.

“Two years ago, I played at right-back with (J3 outfit) Gainare Tottori, so now I can play with confidence. I’m happy with playing at right-back because I have more time to read the game and control the ball. If I go back to midfield, I can also do it well, so I should be able to play both roles.”

With the win, the Singapore Premier League leaders moved four points clear of second-placed Tampines Rovers, who lost ground on Friday with a 3-2 defeat by Balestier Khalsa.

Albirex coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga explained the decision to play Yokokawa at right-back was a tactical one, saying: “If you watch the way we play, he does not really stay on the right side but is involved in midfield as well. That’s the trend in modern football right now.”

Hougang, led by

new head coach Marko Kraljevic,

had no answers to the White Swans’ relentless attacks. They are now winless in eight games.

Any hopes of a new manager bounce for Hougang were quickly extinguished in the 14th minute, when Yokokawa curled a pinpoint effort that nestled into the side-netting. Centre-back Koki Kawachi doubled the advantage 12 minutes later by thumping home a free header from a corner.

Yokokawa completed his brace in the 33rd minute with a rifled shot beyond Zaiful Nizam’s reach to give Albirex a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time.

Hougang’s misery was compounded in the 50th minute, when they were caught out after taking a corner. Substitute Keito Komatsu spectacularly lobbed Zaiful from near the halfway line.

Hougang had a chance to pull one back in the 67th minute, but captain Zulfahmi Arifin’s chipped free kick was volleyed agonisingly wide by Sahil Suhaimi.

But Albirex were not done yet. Komatsu made it 5-0 deep into stoppage time, notching his brace by tapping in Yokokawa’s cross.

It proved to be a forgettable evening for Kraljevic, who was taking his first game as head coach since helming Balestier in 2021.

Kraljevic, who was without forward Gabriel Quak due to injury, said: “Today, it was too fast. Albirex played with tremendous quality and we were always on the back foot, so it was difficult.

“Ideally, I would want more time to work with the team, but that is not an excuse.”

Yoshinaga said that he will be happy only if they retain their title, adding that they “will continue practising tomorrow to prepare for the next match”.

Analysis

Under Kraljevic, Hougang abandoned the positional play principles employed by predecessor Firdaus Kassim and adopted a more fluid system.

Off the ball, the Cheetahs were let down by a poor pressing structure, which allowed Albirex to play through their defensive lines with ease as their technically gifted players continuously received the ball in dangerous areas.

Overall, Albirex entertained with a free-flowing attacking display, thoroughly dominating a Hougang side who struggled to keep possession and looked bereft of ideas.