| |
|
|
Gombak earn top spot
Jack Koh
info@sleague.com
Agu Casmir’s goal three minutes from the end lifted Gombak United to the top of the S.League table with a fortunate 1-0 win at home to the Super Reds.
The Bulls were quiet for most of the game until Agu latched onto Emmanuel Emuejeraye’s perfectly placed pass and slotted it past diving Super Reds keeper Kang Su ho.
The visiting Koreans had looked the more comfortable in possession, especially in the first half, but failed to capitalise on their best chances, and went home empty handed.
The first 45 minutes belonged to the Bears with their first moment of genuine quality coming as a succession of shots on goal.
It was in the 23rd minute when Super Reds forward Lee Du Ri connected with his captain Yu Hyun Koo’s in-swinging cross from the left to release a shot on target.
His effort was palmed away by Gombak goalkeeper Fadhil Salim, only to fall to the feet of Park Chul Hyung. Sevki Sha’ban then blocked Park’s shot but well-positioned Park Han Seok leaped onto the rebound. His effort was tipped over the crossbar for a corner however.
Jeon Byung Euk and Yu then worked a regular short corner routine so straightforward that none of the Bulls anticipated Yu's blast from the edge of the box. Fadhil once more punched the ball away for a corner.
This time, Jeon struck a wicked curling bolt from the blue but Fadhil’s quick reflexes saved the Bulls yet again and for a third Super Reds corner.
Jeon, in the thick of the action again, flighted another well-weighted cross only to see Park Han Seok’s glancing header cleared for the Bears’ fourth consecutive corner.
The five minutes of mayhem was the last Darren Stewart, Gombak United’s coach, could abide. Fazli Jaffar was taken off to make way for young Nigerian Emuejeraye.
"We had to make a change. We were getting smashed," said Stewart. "Fazli was just unlucky. Someone had to come off."
Set pieces remained a constant worry for the Bulls.
With ten minutes to play in the half, Fadhil punched clear an in-swinging corner. The rebound fell favourably for Shin Dae Kyung, only to see his goalbound header cleared off the line.
The scoreline at half time worked positively for Gombak as they transpired with more intent after the break.
It was a full ten minutes before the Bulls struck with Obatola’s low drive from forty yards out. The ball skidded off the ground and Super Reds keeper Kang only managed to push it away for a corner.
Kang’s uncertainty manifested when he failed to punch clear. Agu seized on the initiative but his header was cleared off the line.
At the hour mark, the game began to swing from end to end. Both sides took turns to attack and defend but neither side was really in command.
The Super Reds, in contrast to their large spells of possession in the first half, started to show signs of fatigue. There were a few lapses in concentration at the back, which enticed further Bulls’ penetration.
Goran Subara spurned a glorious chance of breaking the deadlock when Kang’s poor clearance fell to his feet. With his head down, he fell short to punish the Super Reds keeper who was off his line.
Obatola came close a couple of times with his long-range attempts. Ruhaizad Ismail managed to scuttle past two Super Reds defenders to see his shot deflected into the side netting.
The longer the game went on, the more Super Reds seemed to lose their shine. They went to ground easily and were unable to find any sort of rhythm or fluency of the first half.
The team of relatively new players still finding their feet in a climate different from theirs showed in their lack of fitness towards the end of the half.
The Koreans could feel aggrieved however that substitute Yun Bo Young missed from just six yards out when the cross from Choi Dong Soo had already beaten the outstretched fingertips of the Bulls’ keeper.
The Bulls replied instantly, with an inch perfect pass from Emuejeraye to release Agu down the right. Agu sped towards goal and placed the ball far post into the Super Reds net for a standing ovation from the stands.
"The saddest part of this game is the goal. We had so many chances but they converted with one chance," said Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon..
"We were very lucky it was 0-0 at halftime. The Super Reds were awesome in the first half and deserved three points,” was Stewart's addition.
"But I’m happy my boys didn’t give up and got back into the game in the second half." |
|
|