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Soane saves Tigers with last gasp goal
Fabius Chen
info@sleague.com
Wednesday night’s game at Yishun Stadium between Super Reds and Balestier Khalsa will not go down in the history books as a classic. But boy, was it dramatic.
Tigers forward Bryan Soane, who had spent the previous 90 minutes in the pockets of the Super Reds defenders, rose highest to head home an Anantha Rajan free kick and secure a point for his side with practically the last touch of the game.
How fine the line between delight and despair. Super Reds, chasing their first win of the season, must have thought the three points were in the bag as the seconds ticked away.
And, as Balestier coach Nasaruddin Abdul Jalil admitted, it could have been a very different result. Left up front on his own, Soane had been largely annonymous for long spells in the match.
“It’s a good thing I didn’t take him off,” he said after the game.
Soane himself admitted that it had been a tough night’s work for him.
Reflecting on his performance, the 21-year-old Australian said: “That’s the story of a striker: you can be quiet for the whole game but if you pop up with a goal, you become a hero.”
Going into the game, the home side was heavily favoured to record its first victory of 2009 and the opening period seemed to suggest that the bookmakers were right on the money.
Twice in the first quarter of an hour, the Koreans found a way through their visitors’ offside trap but first Song Wang Suk and then Jeon Byung Euk failed to find a telling touch.
As the half wore on, the Tigers began to create chances of their own.
Super Reds goalkeeper Kang Su Ho did well to get down to his right to push Rhysh Roshan Rai’s shot wide for a corner, before Brazilian midfielder Ithamar Rangel stung his palms with a shot from range.
The home side also came close on a number of occasions. Lee Du Ri just failed to get his head onto Kim Shin Yui’s cross, before Park Kang Jin’s flicked header from a corner went agonisingly across the face of Hafez Mawasi’s goal.
Just before the break, the Koreans created one final opportunity, with Lee finding his strike partner Park in the box but his shot only found the side netting.
It was Lee’s last contribution of the game as he was taken off at the break. The 25-year-old forward has not lasted an entire game this season.
Unlike his Balestier counterpart, Super Reds coach Jeon Kyeong Joon was not in the mood to tolerate his frontman’s ineptitude in front of goal.
“As a striker, if you can’t get a goal, you get substituted,” a subdued Jeon said of Lee.
Just four minutes into the second half, it looked as though the deadlock would finally be broken.
A slick passing move on the edge of the Balestier penalty area resulted in Mahmod Hashim bringing down Song Wang Suk in the box, leaving referee Muhd Taqi little option but to award the home side a penalty.
Midfielder Yu Hyun Koo stepped up and drilled his kick low to the goalkeeper’s right, only to see Hafez guess the right way and shovel the ball away to safety.
Just when the fans were beginning to sense it was going to be one of those days for the home side, Yu made amends for his saved spot kick.
In the 58th minute, Jeon’s corner was cleared by the Tigers defence, only as far as Yu who was waiting at the edge of the box.
He fizzed a shot into the roof of the net, beating Hafez and a crowded penalty area along the way.
The away side had a penalty claim of their own turned down by the official, who waved play on after Rangel went down in the box.
Super Reds had chances to but the result beyond doubt but failed to make them count, thanks to Hafez who made a smart save from substitute Choi Dong Soo with 15 minutes to play.
As the clock ticked down, Nasaruddin threw on young forward Muhammad Izuaan to partner Soane up front.
The move almost paid dividends a minute later, as the substitute laid the ball on for Soane but he blazed his shot wide.
In stoppage time, the home side came close to sealing the win with a Choi shot that flew just wide of Hafez’s left-hand post.
From the restart, the Tigers won a free kick halfway into the Koreans’ half and it was left to Soane to write the final chapter in a dramatic finale.
It was a bitter blow for Super Reds and their coach Jeon.
“We dominated the game but we didn’t get the result we wanted.
“The team has to play right to the end but our concentration just wasn’t there.”
Meanwhile, opposing coach Nasaruddin was understandably delighted with the result.
He said: “The boys worked hard and showed great character, so there are many positives to be had.
“We’ve already bettered last year’s results against the top four, so it’s a good reward for the club.
“We want to compete with the top sides, so hopefully we can improve and reach the next level.” |
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