Home blow chance to go top

The Protectors blow the chance to go top of the table after managing only a draw with Warriors

Match Report

Jul 26, 2017 06:00 am

s.league
HOME UNITED	WARRIORS FC
1	1
(Irfan Fandi 12)	(Shahril Ishak 45-pen)

Home United missed a golden chance to surge to the top of the Great-Eastern Hyundai S.League table, after managing only a 1-1 draw with Warriors FC at the Jalan Besar Stadium last night.

Irfan Fandi gave the Protectors the perfect start, scoring after just 12 minutes to put his side in the lead.

But Warriors forward Shahril Ishak equalised from the penalty spot at the stroke of half-time to level the score, and that was how the score stayed.

Speaking to the media in the post-match press conference, Home coach Aidil Sharin was visibly disappointed at the missed opportunity to leapfrog league leaders Albirex Niigata.

He said: "It was a chance to go top of the table, and I am disappointed that we did not take our chances.

"We missed it and I am really not sure why.

This is the first time the defending champions had lost to the Tigers since their 2020 debut.

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"We dominated today and created a lot of chances but we just were not able to put the ball in the net.

"But it is definitely not easy because of the lack of options in the squad. The U-22 team just came back from Myanmar, and we are missing Song (Ui Yong to injury), (Khairul) Nizam and (Sirina) Camara to suspension.

"There are a lot of factors to consider and we have to sit down, review and make changes accordingly for the good of the team.

"We have to work doubly hard now if we want to put pressure on Albirex at the top of the table."

Early on, Home centre back Irfan was twice denied by a feisty Ho Wai Loon, who made two goal-line clearances in the space of 20 seconds.

Eventually, Irfan beat his marker, tapping in an Iqram Rifqi cross to open the scoring.

It was a chance to go top of the table, and I am disappointed that we did not take our chances. We missed it and I am really not sure why. Home United coach Aidil Sharin

The Warriors looked like they had yet to recover from last Friday's The New Paper League Cup final loss to Albirex Niigata.

But they gradually regained their composure and hit back on the stroke of half-time.

Shahril picked himself up in the penalty box after being brought down by Haziq Azman, and salvaged a point for his side with his successful conversion.

The Warriors then wasted plenty of opportunities to score the winner in the second half.

Jordan Webb had arguably the best chance, but the Canadian blasted his effort over the bar after a peach of a pass from teammate Shaiful Esah.

Warriors coach Razif Onn was full of praise for his charges after a gruelling schedule of five matches in two weeks.

Said Razif: "We were gunning for a winner, for sure. But luck was not on our side today.

"Nonetheless, I am thankful to my players because playing five matches in two weeks is not easy.

"They are very motivated in the dressing room, and it is very encouraging that there is a lot of communication within the team.

"We would like to have a run (of positive results) after this. We take every team seriously, and we want to take one game at a time."

Home United: Hassan Sunny, Juma'at Jantan, Iqram Rifqi (Amiruldin Asraf 46), Hariss Harun, Haziq Azman, Aqhari Abdullah, Stipe Plazibat, Faris Ramli, Izzdin Shafiq (Sufianto Salleh 82), Shamil Sharif, Irfan Fandi (Adam Swandi 31)
Warriors FC: Hyrulnizam Juma'at, Syaqir Sulaiman, Kento Fukuda, Baihakki Khaizan, Shaiful Esah (Poh Yi Feng 86), Ridhuan Muhamad, Emmeric Ong, Ho Wai Loon, Jordan Webb, Shahril Ishak, Andrei Ciolacu (Fazli Jaffar 86)