Tampines Rovers outline title credentials with dominant 4-2 win over Albirex Niigata

SINGAPORE – Just a few months ago, Albirex Niigata against BG Tampines Rovers would have been a blockbuster Singapore Premier League (SPL) clash among two title contenders.

Instead, on July 27, it was a one-sided affair for league leaders Tampines as they romped to a 4-2 victory over bottom side Albirex at the Jurong East Stadium.

The Stags showed no signs of fatigue, resting key wingers Faris Ramli and Glenn Kweh after an energy-sapping 2-2 draw with Geylang International just 72 hours earlier.

Coach Gavin Lee said: “I’m really pleased with the win today. We couldn’t do anything in training. We only had two or three days to prepare. That was the challenge with many tired bodies.

“We knew we couldn’t go out there and put pressure like we usually do, we had to take a little risk and defend closer to the box.

“Albirex were quite decent at the end but we rather defend together deep than press half-heartedly.”

Defending champions Albirex, now a local outfit with just six Japanese imports this season, were left chasing shadows however as Tampines, even without key central defender Milos Zlatkovic through suspension, picked them apart.

The result meant Tampines stretched their unbeaten start to the season to 10 games and moved four points clear of second-placed Lion City Sailors (22 points).

Albirex remain bottom of the nine-team league with just two wins and an alarming 32 goals conceded from 10 matches.

Albirex coach Keiji Shigetomi said: “Of course I’m not satisfied with the result, but my boys played with courage. I believe we are improving and we are trying to show an exciting game. We will refresh, reset our minds and come back stronger.”

His team’s defence was breached after just 14 minutes, as a crafty short-corner routine saw Seia Kunori score against his former club with a lashed first-time effort from close range.

The visitors kept up the pressure and had two golden chances to double their lead, but Boris Kopitovic fired over the bar despite being clean through on goal and Yasir Hanapi headed wide in front of an empty net.

Just after the half-hour mark, Kopitovic made amends by dispatching a penalty for his 11th goal this term.

It came from an uncharacteristic error from White Swans goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, whose misplaced pass caused captain Ho Wai Loon to foul Saifullah Akbar inside the penalty box.

While Albirex’s Arya Igami reduced the deficit in the 50th minute with a tap-in, the Stags restored their two-goal cushion two minutes later through defender Shuya Yamashita, who rose highest to head home from a corner.

The goals continued flowing as Yasir’s left-footed strike in the 57th minute, initially ruled out for offside, was given as a goal after a brief video assistant referee check.

Five minutes later, Shingo Nakano scored the game’s sixth goal with a pinpoint header to make it 4-2.

Tampines’ Syazwan Buhari then produced a superb reaction save to keep out Igami’s goal-bound effort in the 85th minute, as Lee’s men claimed another three points as they seek their first league championship since 2013.

Yasir said: “Nothing much has changed. It’s just that this season we have more depth and better foreigners like Seia. To win the title, we need the players to maintain the quality and be consistent every game.”

In the night’s other match, the Young Lions beat Brunei DPMM 3-1 at the Jalan Besar Stadium thanks to a brace from Itsuki Enomoto.

Analysis

Albirex showed glimpses of the free-flowing attacking football they once played effortlessly. The White Swans are sorely missing the Japanese duo of Yohei Otake and Yojiro Takahagi, who came off the bench, to consistently retain the ball in midfield. Even with a fully fit squad, there is still plenty to do for the fallen giants.