Stags Put Four Past Jaguars

A gloomy afternoon in the West and the disappointment of dropping points in the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup were not about to dampen the spirits of Our Stags, who arrived at Jurong East Stadium determined to build on their winning start to the 2026/27 Singapore Premier League (SPL) campaign.

No prompts were needed as Our Stags understood the importance of this fixture amid a packed October schedule, going on to generate a four-goal masterpiece.

Speaking ahead of the fixture, Head Coach Nazri Nasir reiterated the importance of approaching every competition with the same level of commitment.

"Our main goal is to take every tournament and every team seriously," he stressed, highlighting the need for players to adapt to squad rotation over a demanding season, particularly as "every team is getting stronger."

And with another three points up for grabs, Our Stags were looking to make it two wins from two in the SPL.

Six Changes for Our Stags

Coach Nazri rang the changes following the midweek encounter against Kuching City, making six adjustments to his starting line-up to maintain freshness without compromising quality.

Syazwan Buhari, Shodai Yokoyama, Jacob Mahler, Seiga Sumi, Raoul Suhaimi and Shah Shahiran were all brought into the fold.

It was a refreshed Tampines side, but the hosts were determined to make life difficult.

A First-Half Wake-Up Call

Our Stags wasted little time testing the opposition.

Just a minute into the contest, Yuki Kobayashi tried his luck with an effort that forced Tanjong Pagar custodian Aitor Mújica to punch the ball behind for a corner.

In the 23rd minute, Tampines produced a wonderful passage of play that began all the way from Syazwan. A series of well-worked passes released Shodai down the left flank, but Mújica was quick to intervene.

Then came a huge let-off for Our Stags.

In the 31st minute, former Tampines forward Boris Kopitović found himself with an open goal at his mercy, only to squander the golden opportunity by sending his effort wide.

Seven minutes later, Boris threatened once again, this time breaking through one-on-one with Syazwan. But our captain stood tall, producing an outstanding save to keep the scores level.

Tampines nearly made the Jaguars pay in the 41st minute when Koya curled a beautiful free-kick beyond the reach of Mújica, only to see his effort crash against the crossbar.

The half-time whistle arrived with neither side able to break the deadlock.

It had been a difficult opening 45 minutes for Our Stags, with Tanjong Pagar enjoying the clearer opportunities. A response was needed.

Turning the Tide

The Jaguars picked up where they left off immediately after the restart, breaking through the Tampines midfield before firing narrowly wide from the edge of the box, leaving Syazwan at full stretch.

Our Stags responded three minutes later when Hide Higashikawa drove an effort across the face of goal, narrowly evading Koya, who was waiting for a potential tap-in.

Syazwan was soon called into action again, producing another fine save to tip a dangerous Tanjong Pagar effort over the bar.

The contest was opening up, and Tampines began to find more space going forward.

In the 56th minute, Naberu Yoshitaka Furusawa led a promising counter-attack, taking on his defender before cutting inside and attempting to curl an effort towards the far corner.

It drifted agonisingly wide, drawing a collective groan from the Tampines faithful.

But the breakthrough was coming.

The Floodgates Open

In the 62nd minute, Shah Shahiran found space to deliver an inch-perfect cross into the penalty area.

Waiting completely unmarked was Hide, who made no mistake with his header, guiding the ball home to finally break the deadlock.

1-0 to Tampines. Two goals in as many SPL appearances for Hide, and Our Stags finally had their reward.

Seiga came close to extending the advantage six minutes later, but his effort was well stopped by Mújica. As the clock ticked towards the final whistle, Tampines continued to search for the crucial second goal.

And when it arrived, there was no looking back.

In the 86th minute, Shah turned provider once again, whipping another pinpoint cross into the area. Substitute Yuma Kimura was perfectly positioned to meet it, firing into the open net to double the advantage.

2-0.

Barely a minute later, Our Stags struck again.

Irfan Najeeb produced a delightful lofted ball into the path of Seiga, who connected sweetly with a first-time volley to leave Mújica helpless.

3-0. From a closely contested encounter to a commanding lead in the space of minutes, Our Stags had completely turned the game on its head.

But they were not finished.

Deep into stoppage time, Takeshi Yoshimoto picked out Faris Ramli with a brilliant ball behind the Tanjong Pagar defence.

With the goalkeeper rushing off his line, Faris showed tremendous composure, delicately dinking the ball over Mújica and into the net.

4-0. Four goals, four different scorers, and a devastating second-half display.

The final whistle soon followed, confirming an emphatic victory for Tampines Rovers at Jurong East Stadium.

Tanjong Pagar United 0 - 4 Tampines Rovers

Reflections

What began as a frustrating afternoon ended in a resounding victory for Our Stags.

Tanjong Pagar had made life difficult in the opening half, creating several clear-cut opportunities that could have changed the complexion of the contest.

But Tampines weathered the storm and emerged from the interval with renewed purpose, eventually finding the breakthrough before putting the game beyond reach with a ruthless late attacking display.

Coach Nazri's squad rotation also proved its worth, with substitutes Takeshi Yoshimoto, Irfan Najeeb, Irfan Fandi, Yuma Kimura and Faris Ramli all playing their part in the second-half turnaround.

Special mention must also go to Syazwan, whose outstanding saves kept Our Stags in the contest when the scores were still level. His performance was rewarded with a thoroughly deserved clean sheet.

A promising start to the league campaign, but with a long season ahead, there is still plenty of work to be done. 

This victory provides a timely boost in confidence as Our Stags prepare for a formidable challenge against FC Machida Zelvia in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two. With a quick turnaround ahead, the focus now shifts to recovery and preparations as Tampines look to carry their winning momentum onto the continental stage.

To the Tampines faithful who made the trip to Jurong East, thank you for your unwavering support.

Next up, we return to Jalan Besar Stadium on 15th October for a crucial continental showdown, and Our Stags will need the full backing of the Home crowd as we take on the Japanese side.