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RHB Singapore Cup: Geylang end silverware drought with late win
Tam Cheong Yan
info@sleague.com
Geylang United’s eight-year wait for silverware ended at Jalan Besar Stadium on Sunday evening, when they defeated Bangkok Glass 1-0 in the RHB Singapore Cup 2009 final.
Yazid Yasin’s heroic performance in goal, coupled with a late strike by substitute Hafiz Rahim, proved enough to thwart the Thai Premier League side, who were dominant for most of the evening but somehow missed the final touch.
Much of that had to do with the industry shown by the Geylang backline, who did excellently to frustrate the Glass Rabbits despite being repeatedly put to the test.
A penalty save three minutes from time by Yazid virtually clinched the match and the trophy for the Eagles, who last tasted glory in 2001 when they lifted their second ever S.League title.
Mohd Noor Ali provided Geylang’s only link to that squad as he wore the armband on this occasion, as Masrezwan Masturi, Miroslav Latiak and Adrian Dhanaraj all shook off injury concerns to join him in the starting eleven.
They faced a Bangkok Glass side fielding five across the middle, with Sarun Promkeaw leading the quintet in support of lone striker Gbenga Samuel Ajayi.
From the first whistle, the Thais showed their intent as rightback Ponlawat Wangkahad made an overlapping run to combine with wide man Anawin Jujeen.
Geylang survived that first probing move and promptly went on the counter through Latiak, an exchange that would set the tone for the way the two teams would play throughout the evening.
Bangkok Glass had spent much of the week back in Thailand as they prepared for this game, and it showed in the way they quickly settled into the match with the better passing and frequent pressing play.
In contrast, Geylang took some time to get into the stride of things, but they overcame some early panic to ease themselves into their favoured defensive position.
It was not long before the tackles flew in thick and fast, with Jonathan Xu looking particularly active at the back as he tracked every opponent who moved within his range.
Still, Surachai Jaturapattarapong’s side had the upper hand for much of the opening period, Ajayi repeatedly threatening with his lightning pace.
With the game approaching 20 minutes, the Eagles were keen not to look like they were purely out to defend, and they almost claimed the opener with their first decent attack.
Masrezwan started the move by playing the ball wide out to his skipper, but the return cross demanded just a bit too much of the striker as he got an unconvincing touch.
That attack apart, though, Mike Wong’s side often found themselves under pressure, much to the man’s consternation as he yelled out instructions from his technical area.
Clearly those orders did not register immediately, as Ajayi made the most of a bad pass by Xu on 33 minutes to burst into the Geylang box, only for Sarun to steer his square play too softly and allow a defender to scramble it away.
That was by far the best chance of the match, and the Glass Rabbits tried to make up for it by creating many more to test Yazid and his defenders.
For the most part they did, even if the 30-year-old’s fine command of the box was occasionally complemented by some good old-fashioned dumb luck as Ajayi and the Thais somehow lacked the cutting edge up front.
They had never failed to score in the first half before in this competition, yet with the clock coming close to striking 45, their self-confidence was rapidly draining.
The decision to leave livewires Chatree Chimtale and Nantawat Thaensopa on the bench might have contributed to that situation, and Surachai decided to try to remedy the situation by introducing the former in place of Sarun on 57 minutes.
By that time Bangkok Glass had a few more good chances on Yazid’s goal, but midfielder Tanat Wongsupphalak flew the ball too high from a tight angle on the left, and Rungroch Sawangsri’s 40-yard strike did not have the dip to catch the custodian out.
Chatree almost became an instant hero just before the hour mark as the Geylang backline were caught napping, but Yazid was alert enough to intercept Tanat’s lob to the substitute.
He again came to the Eagles’ rescue by Peeraphong Pichichotirat from a tight angle on 65 minutes, before watching Chatree miss out on a ball sent across by Ajayi from out left.
Bangkok Glass then thought they had a shout for a penalty when Xu rushed into Tanat as both reached for a Chatree cross, but their appeals were flatly rejected.
With Masrezwan showing signs of fatigue, Wong opted to bring Hafiz on for him on 72 minutes as he looked to give his side some new attacking bite.
But the Eagles’ thoughts were firmly drawn back towards their own penalty area, as Yazid had to pull off yet another save to keep Peeraphong’s cracker out.
Peeraphong was progressively getting more involved as an attacking option for the Glass Rabbits, for whom Nantawat was still watching from the sidelines.
Yet with only about eight minutes remaining, they were still unable to break down their opponents’ defence despite all the attacking advantages they had, and they were made to pay for it as Geylang unexpectedly took the lead.
Klisana somehow failed to hold on to a corner, having initially taken the ball down. In the chaos that ensued, first Hafiz and then Noor Ali contrived to drive their respective shots into the goalframe to gasps of disbelief from the Eagles fans.
The ball was still bobbling about inside the penalty area though, and with no one managing to clear it properly, it somehow managed to fall to Hafiz again towards the left side of the six-yard box.
This time the 25-year-old’s swing was enough to send the ball into the back of the net, and every man in Geylang’s green shirt was ecstatic as they celebrated his goal.
Bangkok Glass were not about to give up their bid to win the competition, though, and they were handed a lifeline within minutes.
Ajayi was allowed to push into the Geylang penalty area again, and when he went down under an initial challenge by Xu, referee Kenny Ng signalled for the Nigerian to get up.
A quick glance across to the linesman indicated a foul by Kim Jae Hong on Ajayi, though, and the man from Hong Kong promptly reversed his decision and gave a spot kick, much to the disbelief of the Geylang players.
Waving away the protests, Ng showed Kim the yellow card before giving the all-clear for Supachai Komsilp to take the penalty as the tension built up in the air.
But Supachai’s poor effort down the middle proved easy for Yazid, and as a defender rushed in to hack clear, loud cheers of “Geylang! Geylang!” echoed around the stadium.
With the game moving into injury time, Surachai’s men were quickly getting worked up as they desperately sought the equalizer that would have forced extra time.
In the heat of the moment, the Geylang defence had to repeatedly scramble the ball clear, frustrating the Thais still further as the minutes ticked away.
Late substitute Nantawat barely had the chance to make an impact when he was shown the red card for a cynical foul on Kim, as any hope of last-gasp heroics rapidly faded.
For the Eagles, though, the final whistle at the end of seven minutes of additional time brought nothing but sheer jubilation – none showing it more than Man-of-the-Match Yazid as all the players sprinted over to smother him with loud yells of joy.
More: “No grudges” for triumphant Yazid |
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