Focus, says Noor

Geylang International head coach Noor Ali is quick to remind his charges to keep their feet firmly on the ground after stunning defending champions Lion City Sailors in their Singapore Premier League opener last Friday.

The 1-0 win, thanks to the sole 9th-minute strike from Vincent Bezecourt at Our Tampines Hubs, saw the Eagles halt the Sailors’ 19-match unbeaten run in the league dating back to March 20 last year.

With the squad confidence boosted, Noor wants his charges to keep the momentum going when they visit Hougang United tomorrow.

“Collecting all three points against the champions was certainly a dream start for us. But we can’t be celebrating too long and are already looking ahead to our next game,” said Noor Ali.

“We have to bear in mind that it was just a game ticked off in our quest to do well in the league this season.

“Against Hougang, it will be just as tough. The team need to keep improving each game and continue to bring in the three points.”

It was not hard to understand why Noor was making his feelings clear to his players, considering the circumstances that had taken place last season.

Last year, Geylang made a winning start with a 2-1 win over Tanjong Pagar too, but they could muster only a point after losing five of their next six matches.

After engineering the Eagles to their first win in 15 matches since October 2016 against the Sailors, all eyes will be on Geylang International if they can do the same to snap a three-match losing streak against Hougang United.

Noor Ali will have a full squad at his disposal after being given a clean bill of health.

The Cheetahs will be fired up to bounce back at home after enduring a difficult start to their campaign. Playing their first two matches away, they were beaten 3-1 by the Sailors and drew 2-2 with Tanjong Pagar United.