Loyola Sparks crash out of Singapore Cup in ill-tempered second leg
Phil and James Younghusband's club team were held scoreless anew as the Tampines Rovers erupted in the second half and won 3-0 in the second leg in the Singapore Cup semifinals.
The result at Jalan Besar stadium in Singapore made for an aggregate 5-0 scoreline in favor of the Stags, who go on to face the Singapore Armed Forces in the Singapore Cup final on October 28.
Last Thursday Loyola fell 2-0 in the first leg at Clementi Stadium.
It has been reported that the Sparks will play in the third-place game against Gombak United, also on the 28th of October.
42-year old National Team player Aleksandar Duric struck in the 78th and 84th minutes while Imran Sahib poked in the third goal deep in second half stoppage time.
Needing to score two to force extra time, the Sparks employed a hyperaggressive 4-3-3 formation that eventually resulted in gaps in the defense that Tampines feasted on in the last fifteen minutes.
But perhaps the bigger story of the game was the nastiness that bubbled to the surface after two incidents in the second half.
The Rovers' Anaz Hadee fouled Phil Younghusband harshly in the 69th minute, and defender Chad Gould, a long time national team mate of the Sparks striker, rushed over to jaw at the offending party. A pushing and shoving match ensued and referee Mohammad Yazeen Buhari presented Hadee, Gould, and Fahruddin Mustafic with yellow cards.
In the ensuing free kick, Fahrudin hit the turf as the players jostled in the penalty area before the kick was taken and tempers flared again but no cards were shown this time.
"He almost broke Phil's legs" complained Gould of Hadee's challenge. "Phil is my brother so I had to go up there and at least make him (Hadee) feel scared."
Then just minutes later, Tampines' Noh Alam Shah was spotted keeping a dead ball away from Spark Anto Gonzales, even though it was Loyola possession. The two exchanged harsh words from close quarters and then Noh playfully slapped Gonzales three times on the cheek.
This incensed Gonzales and he complained bitterly to the referee to no avail.
When Noh was substituted, Gonzales tried to approach Noh but was stopped by the referee. Gonzales could be seen making throat-slashing gestures at the Tampines bench soon after.
After the teams did their postgame stretching Noh approached Gonzales and apologized but Gonzales would have none of it, accusing Noh of a lack of respect.
"First you spit at me and then you slap me" railed Gonzales.
Once again Noh apologized and said that "the referee is there" meaning perhaps that of the referee called nothing, then there was no foul.
"Great team, trashy player. You can quote me on that." muttered Gonzales afterward.
The 32-year old Alam Shah, who has scored 34 times for the Singapore National team and helped them win the ASEAN Football Federation Championship in 2005 and 2007, has a long history of unruly behavior.
Five years ago in the Singapore Cup final against Singapore Armed Forces, Alam Shah kneed national team team mate Daniel Bennett in the head during a challenge for a loose ball. While Bennett was on the ground injured, Shah Alam, despite being held back by team mates, returned and kicked Bennett in the head, knocking him unconscious. Bennett was rushed to the hospital and Tampines lost 4-3. The assault resulted in a twelve-month ban from local club competition which was eventually reduced to seven months.
Two years ago while playing for Arema Malang in the Indonesian Super League, Alam Shah was sent off after an incident with a Persela Lamongan defender. While Alam Shah was walking off the pitch he suddenly lunged at some Persela players and had to be restrained by the stewards and his own coach. That earned him a one-match ban.
But in the game versus Loyola, Tampines was the better side, although the first half was open and freewheeling and probably deserved a goal.
In the 13th Shah Alam blazed over the bar after a good ball from Gligor Gligorov.
In the 17th minute A long diagonal pass from Phil Younghusband found Jang Juwon and he produced a pass to an open Mark Hartmann but Hartmann's shot was weak and straight at keeper Sasa Dreven.
Eleven minutes later Phil unleashed a terrific long shot but Dreven was equal to it with a superb save.
Five minutes later Dreven was tested again but James Younghusband's hard volley went straight to the keeper.
Then it was Loyola's keeper, Ref Cuaresma, who shone with a pair of excellent stops on Gligorov and Sha Alam.
Hartmann's long-range effort was saved by Dreven a minute before halftime and Jang Juwon nearly pulled off an awkward bicycle kick shot but it was well wide.
At halftime I chatted with ESPN Star match commentator Paul Masefield and he said "that's the best half of Football I've commentated on all season long in the S-League (Singapore league).
"Hartmann is one for the Suzuki Cup team. Greatwich too."
"Look at what Hartmann does, the positions he gets himself into and the way he reads the game. They should be on the national team."
Masefield was surprised when I said that neither had been selected for a while.
In the second half the game slowed down and chances dwindled.
After the contretemps Duric made it 1-0 in the 78th with a lovely turn and shot after Jamil Ali had broken down the left flank.
Loyola Coach Kim Chul Su sent in Jake Morallo for Jang Juwon and gave new signee PJ Fadrigalan an appearance for Roxy Dorlas.
But the changes did not bear fruit and in the 84th Duric accepted a pass from Jamil Ali again, this time from the right wing, and slammed it home for 2-0.
Morallo did have one shot at goal in the 90th but Dreven blanked the long-range boot.
Imran Sahib finished the scoring deep into stoppage time after a stretched Loyola defense left him unmarked.
"We had to go for it, we were unlucky not to get a goal in the first half"said Loyola assistant coach Vince Santos.
"It feels like home with the crowd but it was different with the referees."
The Meralco supporters, many dressed in Orange, greatly outnumbered the Rovers fans. After the game Phil tossed his game-worn jersey into the crowd.
You can follow Bob on Twitter @bhobg333.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
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