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Singapore Armed Forces FC and Etoile FC shared the spoils at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night in a keenly-contested tie that ended 1-1.
Though the match was largely even-tempered, it was not without controversy. While Hicham Bouchemlal was given his marching orders for his second caution after a heavy challenge on Mislav Karoglan, it was referee Abas Daud who took centrestage in the closing minutes of the game.
While trying to defuse a heated exchange between Serge Souchon and Karoglan by the touchline adjacent to the Etoile bench, Abas looked to give the Frenchman a hard if accidental shove, which sent the player hurtling to the ground clutching his face.
The curious incident almost precipitated an all-out melee between both groups of players, only to be quickly quelled by all four match officials on duty for the night.
In the aftermath, Souchon and Karoglan were booked to a cacophony of boos hurled at the man in the middle.
Stars coach Guglielmo Arena, who was seen giving fourth official Sukhbir Singh a lengthy complaint, was surprisingly withdrawn about the incident in the post-match conference, refusing to criticise the performance of Abas outright.
“He is a good referee, a very good referee but just today he gave a ‘small performance’, that’s all,” said the Italian cautiously in halting English to ensure nothing was lost in translation.
He did state his displeasure with the red card issued to Bouchemlal, and expressed disappointment with his team letting slip victory.
“It was a severe decision (sending off Bouchemlal),” he remarked.
“The first yellow, okay, but the second one, no. For Barcelona (against Real Madrid in the recent Copa del Rey final), Xavi was only given a warning for pushing a player after already picking up a yellow card. So I don’t know.
“I am disappointed we didn’t get three points today.
“The players are good, but unfortunately, we don’t have enough mature players for this kind of big match,” he said, slightly despondent.
“We can do better.”
The resurgent title holders were however in good stead according to Arena, as he proudly indicated that Etoile now had four points in the mini-league between the top four sides, on par with SAFFC and above Home United, who had only managed one point, while Tampines Rovers lead with seven.
SAFFC head coach Richard Bok too was in no loss of mood, though he too expressed disappointment that his side had failed collect all three points.
“I was disappointed with the result, we had a good first half and played good football,” said the three-time MIKASA Coach of the Year.
“We just couldn’t convert our chances. Then there was a lapse of concentration and they put one in.”
The goal in question came minutes after the restart, after Hafiz Osman fluffed his clearance and sprayed the ball to an unmarked Anthony Moulin, who made no mistake in putting his side ahead.
The Warriors had been in full control of the first half and had restricted Etoile so well the Frenchmen had barely a sniff at goal.
But Bok’s repeating of the phrase “we couldn’t convert our chances” in the post-match conference was an indicator of his side’s inability to seriously threaten Antonin Trilles in the Etoile goal as well, despite a few decent chances.
Ivan Jerkovic sailed his free kick on 26 minutes agonisingly over the crossbar, while a tight shot by Hafiz from inside the box at the goalkeeper’s near post was well turned away by the custodian.
Jerkovic also drew an excellent save out of Trilles with a thundering shot from open play, but otherwise there were limited chances of quality of note.
And after Moulin’s surprise goal early in the second half, Etoile appeared to be in the ascendancy.
The eight-time S.League champions however relied on an opportunistic chance themselves to get back on level terms.
Fazrul Nawaz headed home from close range from a Daniel Bennett cross, as all players in the Etoile defence were found guilty of ball-watching.
Even the dismissal of Bouchemlal with fifteen minutes of regulation time to go did not alter SAFFC’s fortunes. The quick introduction of Indra Sahdan and Razaleigh Khalik to push for a three points fizzled as well.
Surprisingly, Etoile not only managed to comfortably hold off the Warriors, but even kept their opponents pressed in their own penalty box for most of the last ten minutes of the game.
It was a sight that drew no small amount of disappointment from the SAFFC bench as they sat through a tense finish.
“They were down to ten men but we couldn’t take advantage,” mused Bok.
“It was a committed performance from them in the second half, but we did well. I’ll be happy if i can get this performance week in and week out.”
The readiness in which both coaches accepted the result could be due to the non-impact the result had on either team’s position in the table.
The point earned kept the Warriors in second place, four points behind leaders Tampines, while Etoile remained fourth in the table, going level on points with the Protectors in third place and within two wins of the summit.
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