He stood at the edge of the box at the King George’s end, his eyes trained on the flight of the ball as it took a couple of bounces off Jalan Besar Stadium’s turf. This was the 2019 Singapore Cup final, and as the ball came bouncing towards BG Tampines Rovers playmaker Joel Chew on the edge of the penalty area, there was only one thing on his mind - to hit the target.

But the then-19-year-old did more than just that. He met the ball with his right foot, delicately guiding it into the top corner and beyond the reach of Warriors FC goalkeeper Fashah Iskandar. 

That stunning strike proved to be the turning point in that final.

Tampines overcame a 2-1 deficit to level the scores with that goal, and then went onto beat the now-defunct Warriors 4-3, securing the club’s fourth Singapore Cup title and their first triumph in 13 years. More than 5 years on, the adrenaline-fuelled emotions of that night still remain deeply etched in Joel’s mind. 

“It was a very special moment for me, especially with that being my debut season,” he recalled. “I did not play much in the league that year, so I never expected to feature much in the Cup, let alone the final. However, to my surprise, I found myself starting every game in the Cup that year, and scoring in the final was a huge moment.”

Reliving his goal, Joel described: “Although Mehmedovic’s pass towards me was a little bouncy, I was fully focused on how I made contact with the ball and did my best to put it on target. Thankfully, the ball went in and we were able to lift the trophy that year.” 

By doing so, Tampines became the first local outfit to lift the Singapore Cup since 2014, breaking a run of four consecutive Albirex Niigata (S) Singapore Cup wins. 

Despite coming close in the following two campaigns, the Stags have yet to recapture their crown –-losing 3-2 to Hougang United in the 2022 Final, before being eliminated by Lion City Sailors 6-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the 2023 edition. 

This campaign has provided a sense of fresh optimism for Joel and Tampines. They are perched atop Group A, ahead of Brunei DPMM – who have completed all their fixtures in the five-team group – on goal difference. 

Tampines face Hougang on Saturday, 29 March, and there is only a point separating the Stags and Hougang in third place. And there is still all to fight for, with the Cheetahs looking for a favourable result to leapfrog DPMM into the second semi-final spot. DPMM still have an unlikely ticket to the semi-final as well: a five-goal win for Hougang in this match will see Tampines drop behind the Brunei side on goal difference. 

But Joel and his charges are instead focused on the positives. 

“I believe we have a good chance to go all the way this year,” he said. “We have many players hitting form and coming back from injury such as Faris (Ramli) and Taufik (Suparno), which adds more squad depth during such a crucial time of the season.

“This was what we were missing last campaign, as the likes of Milos (Zlatkovic) were out due to injury and Shah (Shahiran) had to deputise at centre-back. A lot of things did not align that year, but the circumstances are much better this year and hopefully, we can recapture that trophy we have been craving,” added Joel, who was awarded the prestigious Dollah Kassim Award back in 2017.  

Hougang have found a new lease of life under interim coach Robert Eziakor and have only lost two of their last eight matches in all competitions, which includes a 1-1 draw with Lion City Sailors and a 5-1 thumping of Brunei DPMM in their last two games.

This upturn in form leaves Joel wary of the threat that the Cheetahs pose.

“Hougang will probably come out all guns blazing. They have good players all over the field and are capable of causing any team problems, and their unpredictability is such that you will never know which Hougang team will show up,”said Joel.

Despite experiencing the heartbreak of coming up short against the Cheetahs in the Final three years ago, Joel was quick to brush off the suggestion that revenge was a huge motivational factor for him. 

“It is not so much about revenge, but it’s always good to eliminate a strong opponent from the competition. We take every game seriously as they are all important to us, so we will make sure that all of us turn up during the game and focus on playing our football,” said Joel, who scored his maiden league goal against the Cheetahs in July 2019. 

Setbacks and heartbreaks like that Final defeat toughened Joel’s mental resolve and helped shape the player he is today, with his most recent episode being that horror right midshaft fracture he suffered while playing for Singapore in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against China almost exactly a year ago. 

That was the first major injury of his career, and Joel’s road to recovery was physically and mentally challenging. However, his unwavering determination to get back on the field rose to the fore amidst all his struggles. 

“There will always be that phobia lingering in you after you return from an injury,” explained Joel. “But, I’m 25 now and not getting any younger, so I told myself that I have not come this far doubting myself, so I have to just believe in myself and put aside any excuses.” 

Now, fully recovered and back in action – Joel is relishing every minute he spends on the pitch, and he points to the team spirit within the Stags camp as one of the key pillars of his continued growth. 

“I’m enjoying my time playing football with BG Tampines,” he said. “We are like a family with our strong bond between the local and foreign players, and we are always there for one another. Our coach Gavin Lee has been there with me since the start. He understands me and has made me a much better player over the years.”

Joel believes that another major driving force behind BG Tampines’ positivity and drive on the pitch is their fervent supporter group – The Yellow Knights.

“They play a massive role in our season and to me, they are the joint best fans in the league alongside maybe those from the Sailors, said Joel. 

“They are there every game lending us their loudest voices, and we know they always have our back whether we win, lose, or draw.”