SPL Team Of The Week (Matchweek 11)

Syazwan Buhari (Tampines Rovers)

Aside from almost giving Tanjong Pagar United the lead in the first few minutes of the game, Syazwan was a calming presence to Tampines Rovers’ defence and helped his side achieve a fifth clean sheet of the season. He sprayed passes to his teammates coolly as usual and made important claims to ensure the Jaguar’s forwards could not find a way to attack the ball in the box. A highlight of the game was when he brilliantly denied Khairul Amri to keep his clean sheet intact.

Jordan Vestering (Hougang United)

Just 30 seconds into his team’s match against Geylang International, the left back put his side in the lead with a stinging effort from the edge of the box that found its way into the back of the net. Throughout the game, he stood up well against onrushing attacks and kept Yushi Yamaya largely quiet on that side. It was a much improved performance from him after the disastrous defeat by Albirex Niigata. 

Shuya Yamashita (Tampines)

The Japanese defender was solid throughout the game against Tanjong Pagar and did well to stop the strikers from getting on the end of balls sent over the top. He also made several crucial blocks that helped protect the defence and made sure the Jaguars went home empty-handed.

Milos Zlatkovic (Tampines)

Zlatkovic was a usual menace in the box, with his no-nonsense defending helping the Stags withstand attacks from Tanjong Pagar. His presence was felt at the back, heading away crosses that came his side’s way and ensuring that he was always first to the ball. His interceptions and solid pairing with Yamashita have been key to the team’s success this season.

Nur Adam Abdullah (Lion City Sailors)

In his first start since returning from the SEA Games just a few days before the match, Nur Adam produced a fine display that showed glimpses of when he won the Young Player of the Year award in 2021, which was a welcome sight to his team desperate for clean sheets. Lion City Sailors may have conceded three against Brunei DPMM, but his runs and well-timed challenges benefitted his side and they would hope to see more performances like this from him moving forward.

Hami Syahin (Sailors)

The industrious midfielder brought his usual buzz around the centre of the park, popping up everywhere to link up the play for his team. He dropped deep sometimes to receive the ball and recycle possession, while also driving forward and making himself an option further up the field. He worked his socks off and brought fight into the Sailors.

Diego Lopes (Sailors)

Lopes impressed with his passing range and vision as he ran the show with Maxime Lestienne in the first half. He made his passes look easy and was alert to his teammate’s runs. He swept the ball home to tie the game up at 1-1 before an inch-perfect pass from a lightning counter-attack found Lestienne who applied the finish. His quick thinking was also what led to the third goal after a quick free kick and ball over DPMM’s defence.

Irwan Shah (Hougang)

For the first time this season, Irwan Shah started in midfield for Hougang beside stalwart Zulfahmi Arifin. The bona fide left back, however, put in a solid display and did well to break up Geylang’s passes and stop them from progressing their attacks into the final third. He rarely put a foot wrong and helped close the gap between Hougang’s defence and attack, which is something that has caused the side problems in the first round of the campaign.

Naufal Azman (Geylang International)

In his second game since coming back from an injury, Naufal came off the bench just nine minutes in after Huzaifah Aziz suffered an injury of his own. He duly delivered with two equalisers that gave Geylang a fighting chance before eventually losing out to Hougang. In a side that is struggling to convert their chances, Naufal will definitely be in contention to return to the starting line-up soon.

Andrey Voronkov (Brunei DPMM)

Just when his team needed him the most, Voronkov stepped up and scored a hat-trick to rescue a point for DPMM, who otherwise looked bereft of ideas in the second half trailing 2-3 to the Sailors. After opening the scoring with a header from an early corner, he reacted quickest to the loose ball and turned it home for his second. He was at the right place at the right time for the third, as he punished poor defending with a fine finish to cap a strong performance.

Maxime Lestienne (Lion City Sailors)

The Belgian winger continued to show the sheer quality he can bring to his team, as he scored two and assisted another in the draw against DPMM. He did well to find Lopes to level the score, before planting two superb finishes into the back of the net after nice footwork to get past his opponent. He now has 19 goal contributions (ten goals and nine assists) in just nine starts this season, and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.