Stags Surge Into Continental Quarter-Finals For The First Time Since 2016

Few knockout ties in Asian club football have swung as wildly as this one. Just days after suffering what appeared to be a decisive 4-0 first-leg defeat in Hanoi, BG Tampines Rovers were handed an extraordinary lifeline after an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decision overturned the first-leg result, awarding Tampines a 3-0 win and setting up a dramatically reshaped second leg at Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Stags were no longer chasing a Chinese New Year miracle - they were defending an advantage.

Against that backdrop, and still smarting from a 6-1 defeat to the same opponents in the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup a fortnight ago, Interim Head Coach Robert Eziakor’s men stepped onto the pitch knowing history was within reach: a first continental quarter-final since 2016. And they would achieve it in emphatic fashion.

The hosts produced a tactically composed and clinical display to defeat Vietnam’s Công An Hà Nội (CAHN) 3-1 and seal a memorable progression into the next round of the AFC Champions League Two.

There was a notable change in goal when the team sheet was released before kick-off, as 16-year-old Kasey Rogers was called upon to replace the injured Syazwan Buhari - an assured selection that underlined both Coach Robert’s and the club staff’s faith in the young goalkeeper.

Set up in a compact defensive shape, with the versatile Yuki Kobayashi being forced into a deeper position to neutralise the marauding Pendant Quang Vinh, and Trent Buhagiar partnering Hide Higashikawa in attack, the Stags’ game plan was clear - frustrate and counter on the breakaway. Jacob Mahler was called upon to partner with Shuya Yamashita in the centre of defence to do just that, and their partnership proved pivotal in the minutes to come.

First Half

Within the opening exchanges, Hide’s movement caught the visitors’ high defensive line napping, though his effort sailed over. Minutes later, the home crowd was left in disbelief when Trent rounded CAHN goalkeeper Filip Nguyễn, but somehow dragged his finish wide of an open goal.

CAHN’s top scorer Alan Grafite fired the visitors’ first attempt after seven minutes, but Young Buck Kasey Rogers - a Singapore American School student - was largely untroubled despite the visitors' possession advantage. Instead, Tampines looked the more threatening side, repeatedly breaking forward through the pace of Trent and the tireless running of Hide.

Kasey, at 16 years and 340 days, showed remarkable composure on the ball and assurance under pressure. The teenager responded confidently whenever called upon, and when asked about how he gathered this confidence, he mentioned:

“I approached it like every other match, trusted my training and focused on doing my job for the team,” he said. “My coaches and some of the senior players also reminded me to enjoy the moment, which helped me channel the nerves into positivity.”

The visitors attempted to increase their attacking threat, introducing striker Nguyễn Đình Bắc on the half-hour mark, but it was the home side who struck the first blow.

In the 35th minute, Shah Shahiran delivered a precise cross into the area, and Hide rose highest to head home in front of 1,701 fans, giving the Stags a crucial lead in the tie, and subsequently sending the home fans into delirium.

CAHN nearly responded immediately before the break when Hugo Gomes met a corner with a powerful header, only for Yuki to produce a vital goal-line clearance, before the half-time whistle sounded to seal a huge advantage for the home team going into the break.

Second Half

Shortly after halftime, Đình Bắc came closest for the visitors, dragging a shot agonisingly wide after being set up by Quang Vinh. However, any hope that Mano Polking and his side had suffered a decidedly major blow in the 55th minute.

Brazilian winger Léo Artur, who was initially cautioned with a yellow card for violent conduct by South Korean referee Kim Yu-jeong, was given his marching orders following a VAR review, which upgraded the decision to a red. The visitors then thought they had pulled one back moments later, but VAR ruled the goal out due to a foul on Jacob in the buildup.

On the hour mark, Hide effectively settled the tie with utmost class. Showing phenomenal awareness, he allowed the ball to run across his body before holding off his defender and unleashing a wicked strike into the bottom corner for his second goal of the night and sixth of the competition. 

Alan converted a penalty in the 76th minute after Jacob was adjudged - via VAR - to have fouled him in the box, taking away the home side’s clean sheet prospects. However, with the majority of the game already being played with top-notch resolute defending from the Stags, a tactical game plan to protect their young keeper from direct shots, and what was to come next, any hopes of a comeback were short-lived.

Just two minutes later, after a suprising surge forward, Shuya threaded a perfectly weighted pass through to Trent, who made amends for his earlier miss, as he calmly slotted the ball past Filip to restore the two-goal advantage and seal victory for The Stags.

The final whistle confirmed a famous night for anyone associated with BG Tampines Rovers, with a place in the quarter-finals confirmed, where the Stags will face either Thailand’s Bangkok United or Australia’s Macarthur FC in March.

Post-Match Reaction

Interim coach Robert Eziakor described the contest as a “very intense” game and credited his players for executing the tactical plan.

“We have played these guys twice, and we conceded 10 goals,” he said. “So we had to minimise the goals conceded. We made it difficult for them and made it count when it mattered.”

He added that the team had learnt valuable lessons from previous encounters, including the annulled 4-0 defeat and the earlier 6-1 loss in the ACC Shopee Cup.

On how he ensured the players remained focused despite the controversy surrounding the overturned first-leg result, coach Robert explained:

“We told the players not to think about it. We said that what we needed to do was to improve from the past games. We learnt from our mistakes, and (it being a) Home game (in Singapore) also helped us a lot.”

Debutant Kasey Rogers added, “I thank the team and coaches for putting their trust in me, as there are many other talented keepers they could have chosen for a critical match like this. It gave me confidence and motivated me to step up and give 100% for the team. I am very grateful for the opportunity, and I just wanted to repay that trust with my performance in the match today”.

Next Up

In a frenetic month, The Stags find themselves back at the same venue on Sunday (February 22nd) when they take on title rivals Lion City Sailors in the Singapore Premier League. For now, though, well-deserved celebrations are in order, as players and staff look to recharge over the Chinese New Year festivities and the observance of Ramadan, before re-focusing on the weekend fixture.