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It has been some while coming, but Woodlands Wellington finally snared their second point of the season on Tuesday night when holding Geylang United to a 2-2 draw at Woodlands Stadium.
With only two goals to their name before this Great Eastern-YEO’S S.League fixture, few would have expected the Rams to score twice in one game against one of the better-credentialed teams in the competition.
With only a minute to go in regulation time, though the Rams were holding a 2-1 lead, courtesy of a powerful header from Brazilian striker Leonardo Alexio da Costa on 89 minutes.
But the home side could not hang on to their short-lived lead and conceded an own goal after a goalmouth melee, following a late surge upfield from the visitors a minute from the end.
When Geylang took the lead on 14 minutes through Kim Jae Hong, who had run onto a precision pass from deep by Vasile Ghindaru, a rather tepid Woodlands side appeared set for another humiliating defeat.
The Rams seemed to lack the necessary drive during most of the first half, and Geylang created most of the chances and showed the greater urgency.
It was a completely different story after the break, however, as the Eagles tended to take their feet off the pedal and a fired-up Rams outfit lifted their work rate and enthusiasm.
An equaliser from the penalty spot 67 minutes in should have sent warning signals through the Geylang camp, but while the decision to penalise Joo Ki Hwan for an infringement against da Costa, as he attempted to control a ball inside the area, may have seemed harsh to some, Rams midfielder Graham Tatters was most emphatic in the way he dispatched the ball past Yazid Yasin.
Woodlands could have easily been more than one goal down at the break, but Masrezwan Masturi fired wide on 25 minutes after robbing Adrian Butters close to goal, and a looping header from Hafiz Rahim went narrowly over the bar three minutes later.
Really, though, this was the Rams’ day, and Brazilian da Costa’s in particular.
“He has to be the man of the match,” declared Woodlands coach R. Balasubramaniam when it was all over.
“He won us the penalty, and he scored his first goal of the season too. Now he’s got the monkey off his back, he’s sure to score many more this season.”
The coach was clearly delighted with the result, even allowing for letting a potential first win of the season slip through his players’ fingers.
“Our confidence grew as soon as we scored that penalty,” he went on.
“Geylang pressed us very hard near the end and we couldn’t stop them scoring a second, but I was very pleased with how we played.”
While Geylang appeared to be in control before half-time, there were still quite a number of chances for Woodlands in the first period as well.
A high ball into the box from Sazali Salleh was headed wide by da Costa on 26 minutes and a minute later, when the Brazilian laid the ball back for Goh Swee Swee, the latter hooked his effort well over the bar.
A close-range shot by Shahri Musa ten minutes before half-time was blocked by the Eagles defence at close range, not long after Hafiz had headed against the post for Geylang, with the Rams defenders scrambling clear ahead of any predatory Eagles forwards.
A through ball from Yasir Hanapi for Kim on 42 saw the Korean midfielder smash his shot over the bar from 20 yards out.
The Rams’ big man up front also headed over the bar from another Sazali free kick, and as the first half came to an end, Shahri struck the side netting when converging on a good cross.
A one-handed save from Yazid on 52 minutes denied Madhu Mohana a chance to level with a header following a Navin Nigel Vanu corner, as the second half began to look much more useful from the Rams’ perpective.
Leo da Costa was growing in confidence, if not in stature, as the game wore on.
On 62 minutes his shot looked powerful enough, but deflected for a corner, as the Brazilian began to give the Eagles defence, missing the suspended Adrian Dhanaraj, some anxious moments.
Geylang also lost Romanian midfielder Ghindaru only 36 minutes into the game, clearly weakening their hold on the midfield.
As da Costa bore down on goal on 66 minutes with an increasing sense of confidence, the presence of Joo right behind him was noticed by referee Sukhbir Singh, who decided the defender had infringed the laws of the game by his unwarranted attention and pointed to the spot.
“I can’t comment on the penalty decision,” said Eagles coach Mike Wong at the end of the game.
“I didn’t see much in it at the time though.”
Regular defender Tatters, playing strongly in midfield on this occasion, made no mistake with his penalty kick which set up a storming finish to the game.
A corner to Geylang on 75 minutes by Kim saw his compatriot Jung Hee Bong head just wide of the target, before Shahri’s corner on 85 from the right was met perfectly by da Costa, who rose above the pack to head home powerfully.
Then, and only then, Geylang got going again and salvaged a point with a late raid that saw substitute Rizawan Abdullah get into the box and fire in a shot that Butters, in trying to clear, could only steer past his own goalkeeper.
Geylang went close twice more after that through Masrezwan and Yasir, but could not score again.
“I thought we had a poor second half,” said Wong.
“We did not have the intensity we did in the first half, and only found it again after Woodlands scored their second.
“A draw may not seem such a good result for us, and in many ways it wasn’t, but as this was our first point away from home this season, I suppose we should be thankful we at least took away one tonight.”
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