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Woodlands dealt Ham-mer blow
A. Ong
info@sleague.com
Korean Ham Hyeong Kyu chose the best way to open his accounts for Home United, scoring a clinical hattrick to lead Home to a 3-1 win over Woodlands Wellington at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday evening.
The returning Protectors captain Peres de Oliveira also had a big role in the victory, setting up two of Ham’s goals and showing everyone just what Home was missing in their loss to the Young Lions a few days ago.
Home were missing other key players for this match though. Shahril Alias and Rosman Sulaiman were left out due to injuries, and top scorer Kengne Ludovick completed the second of his two-match suspension, making the win that much sweeter for Home head coach PN Sivaji.
“I’m delighted that we won, and convincingly as well, given it was done without many key players,” Sivaji pointed out.
With the losses in personnel, young keeper Siddiq Durimi was a curious sight at central defence, while Syed Fadhil switched to rightback. Lionel Lewis was a welcome return in goal.
Meanwhile, Jamil Ali was handed a start with the suspensions to duo Zakaria Yousif and Luis Eduardo Hicks, the winger hoping to change the Rams’ poor recent record of just one goal in nine games.
Still, with majority of the crowd cheering for the Protectors, Home were much the quicker out of the blocks, pressing forward in search of an early goal.
It nearly arrived on 10 minutes. Oliveira’s inventive chip dropped into the path of the onrushing Tengku Mushadad, but the midfielder’s shot cannoned behind off the stanchion.
Seven minutes later, and ball would hit post once more. Daniel Hammond made a mess of a clearance, gifting it to Shahril Ishak on the edge of the area. His shot beat Rezal Hassan all the way, but rebounded off the left-hand post to safety.
The Woodlands goal was leading a charmed life, but not for too much longer. Oliveira went past defender Precious Emuejeraye far too easily on the left flank, before delivering a perfect square pass into the box, where Ham was waiting to slot home with glee on 26 minutes.
At this point, you could have been forgiven for writing off the goal-shy Rams. But a goal against the run of play on 36 minutes would change the complexion of the game.
Ismadi Mukhtar pounced on a weak clearance from Valery Hiek, and an exchange of passes with Jamil saw him through on goal. His expert finish gave Lewis no chance, and temporarily silenced the faithful Home support.
Azlan Alipah’s long-range effort on the stroke of half-time very nearly crept inside Lewis’ far post, but the Rams were probably the happier of the two teams with the 1-1 scoreline at the break.
Lewis had to be alert early in the second half, to keep out Mojtaba Tehranizadeh’s well struck shot, but that was to be the only meaningful moment for the first 35 minutes of the second half.
Misplaced passes and overhit crosses were the name of the game, as both sides struggled to carve out significant chances in front of goal. But the last ten minutes would provide the watching crowd with a rousing finale.
After collecting the ball from Oliveira, substitute Azhar Sairudin played a delicate chip that found Shahril unmarked on the right side of the box. The Singapore international just kept the ball in play, and his low cross found Ham for a close-range tap-in.
Just like in the previous game, Woodlands had conceded in the 83rd minute, and furthermore this goal seemed to be a potential game decider.
The Rams were determined not to let that come true, but in pouring forward they left themselves vulnerable to the counterattack, and Home were to exploit that in ruthless fashion on 87 minutes.
After clearing a setpiece, Home launched an attack in a two-on-two situation. Oliveira picked out Ham with a slide-rule pass, and the Korean cut back onto his left foot, before slamming the ball past Rezal with aplomb.
So game over for the Rams, with coach Nenad Bacina rueing another late defensive lapse.
“I feel we played well, and it was an even match until the second Home goal. We definitely deserved more from the game,” said Bacina.
“Still, congratulations to Home. When you play against a good team like Home, and give them chances, they will take their opportunity to score.”
Bacina took time out to point out a humorous fact he had observed.
“Earlier in the season, Norikazu (Murakami) scored many goals past us. Now he’s gone, but it’s still the no.9 who scores past us,” quipped Bacina. “Same jersey!”
So Woodlands stay mired in ninth spot, while the Protectors leapfrog Bruneian side DPMM FC to third, now just three points behind Tampines Rovers.
Certainly Home are in a good position in their quest for second spot, and Ham finding his scoring touch could not have been better timed.
“I’m very happy for him,” said Sivaji. “This will do wonders for his confidence.”
“Ludovick is back the next game, but he might not get back in the team!”
Facing the best kind of selection problem upfront, Sivaji will also hope that defenders Shahril and Rosman return to fitness for their next game three weeks later against Sengkang.
The same cannot be said for Shi Jiayi however, as the midfielder has suffered a meniscus tear. He faces a good six to eight weeks out, which will probably rule him out for the rest of the season.
The Protectors will miss him in midfield, but tonight’s performance more than suggested that they have enough depth to cope with such absences. |
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