Resilient Stags Snag Win Through Tough Effort

While the history books and past statistics suggested a routine evening for The Stags, the immense pressure of a tightening title race ensured that last night’s battle with Tanjong Pagar United was a high-stakes showdown. Off the back of a mid-week fixture against Thai League 1 leaders Buriram, fatigue was bound to set in, raising the question: Can The Stags deliver despite the less-than-ideal conditions?

Fully aware that every victory mattered in our relentless pursuit of the coveted Singapore Premier League title, the boys in Yellow and Black took to the pitch at Our Tampines Hub ready to turn their on-paper statistical superiority into a season-defining performance.

Line-Ups 

With a relentless run of fixtures on the horizon and the title race heating up, rotation was not just a necessity but a strategy. Five changes from the statement victory against Eastern rivals Geylang International highlighted the squad’s depth, yet, these choices never wavered from the high quality and consistency that have been the foundation of the Rovers’ title charge. 

In a seamless return to their preferred positions, Raoul Suhaimi and Takeshi Yoshimoto slotted back into right-back and left-back respectively. Joel Chew and Taufik Suparno were back in the fold, seeking to inject creativity and flair into every attack and break down The Jaguars backline. At the heart of midfield, Tampines debuted a bold, fresh partnership as Jacob Mahler made his debut start of the SPL season, alongside Yuki Kobayashi who retained his spot for a second consecutive league game.

The absence of Head Coach Noh Rahman, who is currently pursuing his AFC Pro License in Qatar, did little to disrupt The Stags’ momentum. Stepping into the technical area as his replacement, U-19 Young Bucks’ Head Coach and Assistant Coach, Robert Eziakor, ensured that the transition was seamless, with the team firmly sticking to the principles of Tampines Football.

A Dominant Display

The Stags dictated the tempo from kick-off and went close as soon as the 1st minute. Hide Higashikawa latched onto a misplaced pass from Kim Li-Kwan and nearly found the opener. The forward entered the fixture among the Top 5 league scorers and was keen to add to his tally - a foreshadowing of things to come. 

The opening moments were characterized by beautiful link-up play along the flanks, and that proved to be key to the opening goal. In just the 4th minute, Takeshi Yoshimoto picked out Joel Chew, who whipped in a pinpoint cross to Hide. The talismanic striker then beat his defender in the air to head it home. In striking hot form, the No. 25 continues to be on the hunt for the SPL Golden Boot with 6 league goals to his name, tied for first place (as of date of publication).

The left-sided partnership of Joel and Takeshi was on full display, this time with the former finding the latter with a brilliant through ball and delivering another incisive cross, only for Hide’s header to inch over the woodwork. The Stags found another big chance yet again mere minutes later, as Yuki floated in a perfectly weighted lob into the box for Takeshi, forcing Zaiful to palm the goal-bound effort away.

And the flurry continued. Joel, with a smart dribble, found Yuki between the lines, who laid it off for Shah to find the bottom corner in the 35th minute, earning his long-awaited first Singapore Premier League goal of the season for his club.

Not to be outdone on the right flank, Taufik Suparno, who earned a start for the home side, showed his blistering pace on the wing, first catching up to a pinged ball, before taking it past Shodai Nishikawa, and accelerating onto it ahead of Zaiful’s reach. What followed after was equally remarkable - as he smartly squared it across the box for Hide, who unfortunately headed it just above the crossbar again.

As the half-time whistle blew, the statistics told the story - 10 efforts on target for Tampines and none for Tanjong Pagar. With that, the home side marched into the tunnel with a commanding lead, from a half played mostly in the visitors’ territory. 

A Resilient Fight

With Tanjong Pagar unable to find a foothold in the fixture, one would anticipate a change of tactics by the away side, and this came in the form of a half-time substitution. Bruno Dybal, who proved to be a rare offensive spark in The Jaguars’ first-half, gave way for Naqiuddin Eunos. This change in personnel signaled a bolder mindset, and this ignited a decidedly different attacking approach to start the second half.

Minutes after the restart, Zenivio Mota exploited space on the right flank, delivering a pinpoint cross for Sahil Suhaimi to test Syazwan Buhari, Tanjong Pagar’s first attempt of the night. Perhaps with an air of renewed confidence, Raihan Rahman tried his luck with an audacious lobbed ball from outside the box, forcing Syazwan to leap at full stretch to tip the effort above the bar.

The Stags reacted with intent of their own, with two quick chances from their target man. With a dazzling dribble, Hide worked the ball impressively into the box, only to see his effort unfortunately bounce off the inside post. The electric chemistry between Takeshi and Hide soon became the talking point of the hosts’ attack, with the left-back delivering yet another precise cross, but the resulting header from Hide ricocheted off the woodwork yet again. 

Tampines then made an enforced change of their own. Taufik, who picked up a knock from the first-half, made way for Trent Buhagiar, who was instantly in the thick of action. Yuki’s pinpoint pass sent him through for a powerful strike, but a stunning Zaiful save denied The Stags a third - one that might have proved costly given what followed. 

In the 65th minute, a perhaps misjudged pass was picked up by Joel Chew, and was pursued by the opposing Emilio Estevez, who got the ball after a physical tussle. The following VAR review supported the on-field decision not to call a foul, as the midfielder rounded the ball around Syazwan to pull one back for the visitors. This marked the Jaguars’ first goal against the Rovers since July 2023, and his first for the club.

Swiftly after, Glenn Kweh and Tara Ndao replaced Hide and Joel as Tampines injected fresh energy into their front line. Finding their groove after a frenetic restart, The Stags soon hit their stride, peppering The Jaguars’ goal with yet another relentless barrage of efforts. In the closing minutes, Yuki and Jacob were replaced by Seiga Sumi and Koya Kazama, which added more technical skill and defensive solidity to the side. 

Showing incredible late-game desire, Shuya Yamashita came agonizingly close to a third goal, rattling the frame of the goal with an outstanding header, while Tara’s resulting attempt at goal went despairingly straight into Zaiful’s gloves. Tackles flew, and play swung wildly as the match entered seven minutes of added time, keeping the fans on the edge of their seats for a grandstand finish, but The Stags smartly saw it through with tidy possession to gain all 3 points. 

Reflections

Remaining undefeated in their domestic campaign, BG Tampines have now moved within striking distance of the top. Trailing current league leaders Lion City Sailors by only four points, it sets the stage for a title charge as the team continues to pile on the pressure up top.

“I think every match is difficult and this is a hard-fought victory.” said Man-Of-The-Match Shah Shahiran. “Of course, we are happy with the three points, especially to close the gap at the top, but we hope to continue this momentum.” 

Dominant for most parts of the game, the match saw intricate passages of play from the hosts, showing why Tampines are such a feared side in the league. When it came down to the latter half of the game, The Stags could take solace that, when things got chaotic, their players saw the game out with a degree of professional calmness.

“If we stay composed as a team, we will perform well, especially in the upcoming games,” Shah added.

Up Next

A massive month ahead beckons for Tampines. The Stags must now navigate a relentless schedule of continental battles against the region’s elites, while continuing to assert dominance in the domestic league. 

In a test of their continental mettle, all eyes will be on them this Wednesday as they face a formidable battle against Công An Hà Nội FC in Vietnam. With their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages on the line, victory is pivotal if they are to keep their dreams alive in the ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup.