Warriors want to set record straight against Albirex
| WARRIORS FC | ALBIREX NIIGATA |
Revenge is on the cards when Warriors FC host Albirex Niigata in their Great Eastern-Hyundai S.League match at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium tomorrow night.
Last Friday, Albirex snatched The New Paper League Cup trophy from the Warriors with an extra-time winner, having survived an onslaught on their goal.
Warriors skipper Shahril Ishak put in a Man-of-the-Match performance, but was also guilty of a few misses which proved costly for his side.
The national captain wants to make amends in tomorrow's rematch.
"For us, it is a chance for revenge," said Shahril.
"It's all about the league title right now for us, we have nothing else to play for.
"We have played great games in our last four or five matches, and we don't want to lose that momentum."
The Warriors are also out of the RHB Singapore Cup, after a shock 4-1 defeat by Cambodian side Beoung Ket in May, meaning the S.League is their only hope for silverware this season.
On Tuesday, they showed resilience to hold a fresher Home United side to a 1-1 draw at the Jalan Besar Stadium, just four days after their League Cup final heartbreak.
A win tomorrow would see the Warriors narrow the gap on league leaders Albirex to six points, and Shahril believes the team's performance in the Cup final has given them the belief they can beat the Japanese outfit.
Said the forward: "We know what we have to do to beat them.
"They are top of the league right now, so we need this win to get closer to them."
Albirex coach Kazuaki Yoshinaga is expecting an intense battle tomorrow night, but is confident his players can come out tops again.
"The most important thing is to fight with our hearts and bodies," said the former Shimizu S-Pulse coach.
"To win, we must demonstrate a greater fighting spirit than our opponents."
- SAZALI ABDUL AZIZ
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