Derby contest ends in defeat for the Eagles

Geylang International’s quest to recapture the Singapore Cup, which they last clinched in 2009, was dashed after a 3-1 loss to Tampines Rovers in their second consecutive defeat in Group A on Saturday evening.

This marked the Eagles’ first Eastern Derby defeat of the season in all competitions, and it proved to be a costly setback, effectively eliminating Noor Ali’s side from the possibility of finishing in the top two positions.

Saifullah Akbar secured the breakthrough for the Stags in the 34th minute as he beat his marker and then unleashed a left-footed strike, leaving goalkeeper Hafiz Ahmad with no chance.

However, it took just five minutes for Geylang to strike back. Takahiro Tezuka found the back of the net by sneaking in at the near post to head home Arshad Shamim’s delightful cross.

Tampines quickly regained their lead shortly after the second half began, as a lapse in concentration by Geylang’s defence allowed Milos Zlatkovic to slot home Yasir Hanapi’s well-delivered free-kick in the 49th minute.

The Stags deepened Geylang’s troubles as Joel Chew extended the score to 3-1, capping off a superb team attacking move by powering Boris Kopitovic’s lay-off into the top corner in the 57th minute.

Geylang couldn’t make the most of their numerical advantage, even though Tampines had to play the final quarter of the game with 10 men.

This occurred after Yasir was shown a straight red card following an on-field VAR review, which revealed that he had struck Joshua Pereira with his knee from behind before landing his studs on the latter’s chest.

The Eagles’ attacking efforts, spearheaded by Japanese player Yushi Yamaya, made numerous attempts to narrow the gap but were unsuccessful.

“In football, it all boils down to scoring goals,” said Noor Ali.

“Without a potent attacking threat upfront, Tampines won’t be concerned about us. They have quality attackers in players like Boris, Saifullah, Yasir, and Faris (Ramli), and they posed significant challenges for us.

“I believe this played a pivotal role in the outcome of the game. While we maintained possession of the ball well, our offensive efforts were not sufficient.”

Tampines’ victory propelled them into second place with six points, trailing Brunei DPMM by four points, who have already secured their spot in the semi-finals by winning Group A.

Geylang, whose only win came from a remarkable 2-1 victory against SPL champions Albirex Niigata in the opener, currently sits in fourth place with three points.

They will face the fifth-placed Young Lions in a match of no consequence on November 26. Tampines, needing just a point, will go head-to-head with Albirex, currently in third place with four points, on the same date to determine the final semi-finals berth.

Ends.