Football
Kenneth Tan 9y

Balestier hold Tampines to thrilling League Cup draw

It was a game of two halves at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday night as Balestier Khalsa and Tampines Rovers played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in The New Paper (TNP) League Cup.

After a goalless first half, the second half burst into life with all four goals coming in a gap of 17 minutes. Fahrudin Mustafic and Mateo Roskam gave the Stags leads. But their efforts were neutralised by Balestier with goals from Zulkiffli Hassim and Fadhil Noh.

This was a valuable point for Balestier, who remained top of Group B with four points. They will make it through to the last four if Tampines fail to beat Warriors FC by a five-goal margin on Wednesday.

Fresh from a 4-0 drubbing of league champions Warriors FC four days ago, Marko Kraljevic's side came into this game brimming with confidence. This was in full display in the first 15 minutes when they caused a few problems for the Stags' defence.

Poh Yifeng first fired an ambitious shot from 30 yards which sailed over the bar. Next, Tampines keeper Joey Sim was caught in possession by Miroslav Kristic, but the striker was unable to take full advantage.

It was a nervy start for Sim who then flapped at a Tarik Cmajcanin corner, but Igor Cerina was unable to turn his resulting header on target. Cmajcanin and Kristic then lashed wide from long range, before Tampines slowly settled in midway through.

However despite some promising passages of play, V. Sundramoorthy's side struggled to find the cutting edge up front. The only decent opportunity in the remainder of the half came via Shaiful Esah's outswinging corner, but Fabian Kwok was unable to trouble Zaiful Nizam with his header.

The second half took a completely different complexion from the first. It took just seven minutes after restart for the Stags to break the deadlock.

Shaiful's corner was not properly dealt with by the Tigers defence in the box. Predrag Pocuca's resulting shot inadvertently found its way to Mustafic, who was at the right place at the right time to turn the ball home.

That joy proved to be short lived as Balestier levelled the game within two minutes. The Stags backline fell asleep as Fadhil squared a superb ball across the area for Zulkiffli to tap home from three yards out.

The pendulum then swung back Tampines' way four minutes later as they regained the lead. Aqhari Abdullah's lofted ball found Roskam, who deceived the Tigers backline with two superb turns before scooping the ball over a stranded Zaiful in the Balestier goal.

Once again, the Stags failed to keep their concentration at the back as Balestier restored parity for the second time in the 71st minute.

Tampines half cleared a corner into the path of Balestier left-back Ho Wai Loon, who wasted little time to whip in a delightful ball in for Fadhil to prod past the onrushing Sim.

Tampines continued to spurn gilt-edged chances thereafter.

Rodrigo Tosi went through on goal only to be denied by Zaiful's quick reflexes, before Shaiful's 30-yard free kick sailed just wide.

There was one final chance for Rodrigo deep into injury time, but he inexplicably fluffed his lines just inside the six-yard box.

Speaking after the game, Balestier coach Kraljevic expressed his delight at having witnessed his side come back from behind two times.

"It was a really tough game out there, but we showed really good character," he said. "To come back from behind two times against a good side like Tampines is not easy. So I'm really impressed by my side."

Meanwhile, his Tampines counterpart Sundramoorthy is refusing to throw in the towel just yet despite needing a five-goal victory against the Warriors to progress.

"Anything can still happen," he said. "Warriors are a good team with Miroslav Pejic and Nicolas Velez, but we will stay positive and try to attack them.

"Attack wise, we're getting there. But in terms of defending, we have to improve on our lack of concentration and in collecting the second balls."

Tampines Rovers: Joey Sim (GK), Ismadi Mukhtar, Fahrudin Mustafic (C) (Ismail Yunos 65'), Predrag Pocuca, Shaiful Esah, Firdaus Idros (Ridhuan Muhammad 78'), Aqhari Abdullah, Fabian Kwok, Jamil Ali (Zulfadli Zainal Abidin 65'), Mateo Roskam, Rodrigo Tosi

Balestier Khalsa: Zaiful Nizam (GK, C), Ahmad Syahir (Hanafi Salleh 71'), Igor Cerina, Emir Lotinac, Ho Wai Loon, Fadhil Noh (Ignatius Ang 71'), Poh Yifeng, Tarik Cmajcanin (Ridwan Jamil 87'), Zulkiffli Hassim, Robert Pericic, Miroslav Kristic

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