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Albirex look to trip up title-chasing Warriors
Gary Koh
info@sleague.com
With just six games remaining, the league championship is Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAFFC) to lose as they host in-form Albirex Niigata (Singapore) at Choa Chu Kang on Wednesday.
The Warriors are presently leading the chasing pack by eight points, and could extend their lead to double digits should they continue their winning streak against the Japanese.
In their three previous head-to-head encounters with their opponents in league and cup competitions, the defending champions have won all their ties, initially handing the White Swans their biggest defeat of the season 6-0, before knocking them out of the mid-season League Cup tournament 2-0 and winning away 3-1 in the league.
Unlike in the first half of the season, where they had to juggle domestic and continental commitments, this fixture is their first league game in two weeks, allowing them more time to allow the ageing legs and minds among them to recuperate and focus on their sole remaining objective this season.
But Albirex could provide a stern test in the Warriors’ quest for four consecutive league crowns, as they come into this game quietly brimming with confidence.
The young Japanese are on a high after winning their second straight game in all competitions, displaying the confident attacking football that have seen them progress into the Singapore Cup semifinals, their best finish yet in the six-year association with the local football scene.
The White Swans will banking on their club leading goalscorer Kenji Adachihara and his strike partners Taisuke Akiyoshi and Akira Takase to lead the charge in offence and cause all kinds of problems to the SAFFC defence.
Despite the optimism, head coach Naoki Naruo insists this game is a stepping stone in preparations for their last-four cup game against Geylang, and takes nothing for granted after the sobering losses in their previous encounters.
“We will be looking to build from a strong defence as we continue build up to the cup semis,” he said.
Albirex have reported no injury problems, but defender Kazuki Yoshino is suspended after picking up his fourth yellow card in the previous match. |
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