SINGAPORE - They were touted as darkhorses for this year's Singapore Premier League (SPL) title but, after the first week of the season, Hougang United find themselves in the same place they were at the end of last term - bottom of the table.
The Cheetahs crashed to a 5-1 defeat by Tampines Rovers at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday (March 3) after playing most of the second half with 10 men, following the 50th-minute sending-off of Justin Hui.
The 21-year-old midfielder picked up two yellow cards in the space of just three minutes and 40 seconds to receive the marching orders from referee G. Letchman.
Tampines had led 1-0 at that point, thanks to a first-half goal by Irwan Shah and, even though the Stags were pegged back by Faris Ramli's 56th-minute penalty, they went on to assert their dominance and rack up a handsome win.
Â
Hougang head coach Clement Teo, who felt there was no "ill intent" in the challenge that earned Hui his second yellow card, was sanguine after the game.
"Yes, the match was frustrating in terms of the result," said the coach.
"But, if you're talking about effort, I can't fault my players. When you are a man short against a quality team like Tampines, you have to face the consequences. I'm not worried about this result."
Revealing he was filling out the substitution card to replace Hui just before the player committed his second offence, Teo added wryly: "We were just a little too slow."
The first half proved to be a cagey affair, but it was Tampines who drew first blood after full-back Irwan Shah charged into the box on the stroke of half-time and fired home.
National winger Faris then earned and converted the penalty that levelled the score, but the goal proved a false dawn for the Cheetahs.
Tampines made full use of the extra man and scored three times in 12 minutes through Ryutaro Megumi (64th min), an own goal by Hougang skipper Zulfahmi Arifin (71st) and substitute Zehrudin Mehmedovic (76th). Jordan Webb added a fifth in injury time.
Stags' first-team coach Gavin Lee admitted that Hui's red card gave his team "greater control of the game", but, while he was happy with the win, he was not completely satisfied with his team's performance.
"We got the points we wanted, but we can't... overlook certain phases of performance which should have been better," said the rookie SPL coach.
While he praised his team's pace on the counter-attack, Lee insisted he would not get carried away by Sunday's result.
"Our challenge is to stay consistent in our thinking and action and, hopefully, we can sum it up at the end of the season and see (a positive outcome)," he said.
In the other match on Sunday, striker Andrei Voronkov scored the winner in the 22nd minute as Brunei DPMM beat Home United 1-0 at the Bishan Stadium.
Karim Benzema scored his sixth goal in four games as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-0 on Sunday for a fourth successive La Liga victory. The win took the European champions to within eight points of leaders FC Barcelona. The French striker knocked a cross from Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon into the
Confident Real Madrid stroll to fourth straight win
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to footballer Sala Date created : 16/02/2019 - 17:35 Relatives and friends are pictured through a screen during the wake of late Argentine football
Crowds flock to Argentine village to pay tribute to
Guangzhou (AFP) - Nico Yennaris became the first foreign-born footballer to represent China when the former Arsenal reserve started in a 2-0 home win over the Philippines on Friday. The 26-year-old midfielder was born in London and was an England youth international, but his mother is Chinese and
London-born Yennaris makes China debut in Philippine win
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/06/07/london-born-yennaris-makes-china-debut-in-philippine-win/
London-born Yennaris makes China debut in Philippine win AFP June 7, 2019 AFP No Comments Guangzhou (AFP) - Nico Yennaris became the first foreign-born footballer to represent China when the former Arsenal reserve started in a 2-0 home win over the Philippines on Friday.
London-born Yennaris makes China debut in Philippine win
Football: Man City title hopes hit by shock defeat at Newcastle
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri admitted it will be hard to deny Eden Hazard a move to Real Madrid this summer, even if a reported £100 million ($130 million) move is "too cheap" for the Belgian
£100m too cheap, but hard to keep hold of Hazard, admits Sarri
It's Man United again under Ole. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer showing his considerable motivational skills in consoling United's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata, who went off injured in the 0-0 home draw
Manchester United are united again under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Crystal Palace moved further away from the Premier League relegation zone with a 3-1 win at fellow strugglers Burnley on Saturday thanks to second half goals from Michy Batshuayi and Wilfried Zaha. Palace took the lead in the 15th minute when Jeffrey Schlupp's pull-back struck Burnley defender Phil
Palace climb away from troube with 3-1 win at Burnley
Usual suspects in the frame at expanded Asian Cup The Saigon Times Daily Iran coach Carlos Queiroz appeals for a VAR review during the match at Mordovia Arena, Saransk, Russia June 25, 2018 - PHOTO: REUTERS
Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner leaves for China's Tianjin Teda after receiving 'a very attractive offer' Sandro Wagner has had a limited role at Bayern Munich under Niko Kovac
Bayern forward Wagner moves to Tianjin Teda - China.org.cn
Tottenham may have to play the rest of 2018-19 without Harry Kane, who hurt his ankle against Manchester City. Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino fears Harry Kane could miss the rest of the season
Harry Kane could miss rest of season with ankle injury
Feb 27 - MANCHESTER CITY 1 WEST HAM UNITED 0 . Sergio Aguero's penalty gave champions Manchester City a 1-0 win over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to stay a point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Aguero penalty gives Man City 1-0 win over West Ham
FAS' media-rights partner begins bankruptcy process, Football
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen