Shahdan's strike lifts Tampines

Source

by Ian De Cotta
04:46 AM Mar 25, 2011 Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League

SAFFC 0 Tampines 1

SINGAPORE - Tampines Rovers beat SAFFC 1-0 in a Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League match last night to set up a tasty top-of-the-table clash with Home United next week.

A packed Choa Chu Kang Stadium saw the league's highest attendance to date this season, with 3,008 fans witnessing Shahdan Sulaiman score the only goal of the game in the fifth minute.

The Stags midfielder blasted the ball past Warriors custodian Shahril Jantan to send the Stags to second spot in the league, level on 13 points with leaders Home, and an explosive encounter to look forward to when the two sides clash next Friday at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

Tampines' last S-League title came in 2005 and, after five barren years, a win against Home will boost their hopes, even this early in the season.

The experienced Stags frontline of veteran striker Alesandar Duric and Ahmad Latiff, both formerly of SAFFC, squandered several opportunities last night, but Tampines coach Steven Tan is confident his strikeforce will be a lot sharper in their crucial top-of-the-table clash next week.

"There was a little lack of composure in this game but they are experienced enough and will know what to do in our next match against Home," he said. "Home are in championship mode this year and, (on the artificial) the Jalan Besar surface, it will be a fast game."

A despondent Richard Bok was fuming after the dismissal of striker Mislav Karoglan for a foul on Tampines midfielder Ismadi Muktar in the 57th minute.

Said the SAFFC coach: "I think the sending-off was too harsh, but overall we gave the ball away too much in the first half. We tightened up after the break but unfortunately it was not enough. I am disappointed with our performance." Ian De Cotta