Matchday 3 of the Singapore Cup produced big performances from two teams that took important steps towards securing semi-final berths. Hougang United inched closer to securing their ticket to the semis with a statement 3-0 win over Geylang International at Our Tampines Hub on Saturday, 22 November, before Albirex Niigata (S) kept their perfect record intact as they edged Tanjong Pagar United at Jurong East Stadium on Sunday (23 Nov). 

Late Hougang flurry downs Geylang 

Hougang United 3-0 Geylang International | Our Tampines Hub | 22 November 

(Nabilai Kibunguchy 69’, Farhan Zulkifli 73’, Chonlawit Kanuengkid 78’)

A clinical Hougang United side proved too strong as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Geylang International, but it was an inspired performance from Hougang goalkeeper Zharfan Rohaizad that stole the headlines. 

His series of crucial saves started in the 34th minute when he repelled a Shuhei Hoshino effort that came straight at him. Zharfan then dove to his right to push away a Ryoya Taniguichi volley seven minutes later. 

The two players combined to test Zharfan again in the 64th minute: Hoshino met Taniguichi’s cross with a glancing header, but it was tipped over the bar by Zharfan. That save seemed to give Hougang the impetus they needed, as centre-back Nabilai Kibunguchy scrambled home a loose ball from close range in the 69th minute to give the Cheetahs the lead. 

Geylang continued to press, but Zharfan refused to be beaten, showing incredible agility to get his fingertips to a Riku Fukashiro effort in the 70th minute. 

Instead, it was Hougang who landed the next blow. Victor Blasco’s 73rd-minute effort was blocked on the goal line by Shodai Yokoyama, but Farhan Zulkifli was on hand to tuck home the rebound.

Four minutes later, Chonlawit Kanuengkid put the game to bed with a powerful strike that proved too much for Rudy Khairullah in the Geylang goal, sealing back-to-back cup wins for Hougang United.

Hougang United: Zharfan Rohaizad, Parinya Nusong (Ryohei Yoshihama 67’), Ryaan Sanizal (C), Nabilai Kibunguchy, Jordan Vestering, Chonlawit Kanuengkid, Huzaifah Aziz, Yotsakon Burapha (Hugo Kametani 90+7’), Settawut Wongsai, Farhan Zulkifli, Victor Blasco Llorens (Woo Chun Wei 90+2’)

Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin, Rauf Erwan, Kanok Kongsimma, Brant Tan, Syady Sufwan, Algirdas Karlonas, G Jeeva

Geylang International: Rudy Khairullah, Nazrul Nazari, Nikola Ignjatovic, Joshua Pereira (C), Shodai Yokoyama, Shahdan Sulaiman (Ethan Pinto 74’), Kaisei Ogawa (Gareth Low 82’), Riku Fukashiro, Vincent Bezecourt, Ryoya Taniguchi, Shuhei Hoshino (Ryu Hardy 82’) 

Unused subs: Zainol Gulam, Aniq Matin Zulfadli, Danial Crichton, Iqram Rifqi, Ko Jaehyun, Raiyan Noor, Nizwan Izzairie

Three wins out of three put White Swans in pole position 

Albirex Niigata 1-0 Tanjong Pagar United | Jurong East Stadium | 23 November

(Katsuyuki Ishibashi 55’) 

Albirex Niigata (S) took a massive step towards qualifying for the semi-finals of the Singapore Cup with a 1-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United, a brilliant Katsuyuki Ishibashi freekick the difference in a tight game. 

There was little to separate the two sides during the opening exchanges of the game, with the home side controlling the tempo as the Jaguars held firm at the back. Chances proved few and far between, but the game burst to life in the second half. 

The moment of brilliance the contest had been crying out for came in the 55th minute, when Katsuyuki Ishibashi curled a close-range free kick over the Tanjong Pagar wall and into the net. 

The Jaguars responded almost immediately when Youssef Ezzejjari took advantage of space on the edge of the box just three minutes later, and fired a shot that nestled in the bottom corner of the Albirex goal. However, the goal was ruled out due to a foul in the build-up, much to the striker’s frustration. 

Staring elimination in the face, the Jaguars threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser, but Albirex were quicker to every loose ball, and substitute Cho Eunsu came close to doubling the lead when he forced Zaiful Nizam into a stoppage-time save. 

Despite their best efforts, Tanjong Pagar could not find a breakthrough, as Komei Iida produced a heroic goal-line clearance in the dying minutes to deny the Jaguars an equaliser. But even that goal would not have been enough to keep their Singapore Cup hopes alive - with no points from three games, Tanjong Pagar became the first team to be eliminated from the competition.

Albirex Niigata: Hassan Sunny, Nozomi Ozawa, Komei Iida, Kim Taeuk, Haziq Kamarudin (Nicky Melvin Singh 74’), Naoki Yoshioka, Jaden Heng (Jared Gallagher 74’), Sim Jun Yen (Danish Qayyum 74’), Katsuyuki Ishibashi (Ren Nishimura 83’), Shingo Nakano (C), Takumi Yokohata (Cho Eunsu 89’)

Unused subs: Takahiro Koga, Dylan Pereira, Amy Recha, Syed Firdaus Hassan, Syukri Bashir, Aneeq Fairus, Shakthi Vinayagavijayan

Tanjong Pagar United: Zaiful Nizam, Faizal Roslan, Aaron Michael Evans (C), Syed Muhammad Akmal, Syahrul Sazali (Danish Haqimi 74’), Naqiuddin Eunos (Sahil Suhaimi 87’), Raihan Rahman, Lim Hyunsub, Shodai Nishikawa, Bruno Dybal, Youssef Ezzejjari Lhasnaoui

Unused subs: Matthew Silva, Kenji Rusydi, Azim Akbar, Fathullah Rahmat, Emmeric Ong, Aloysius Pang, Ngankam Aymeric Charles, Samuel Pillai, Vincenzo Ucchino