DPMM moves to the top of the Group A table after their 2-0 win over Young Lions.

SINGAPORE, 17 FEBRUARY 2025 – The thrilling Singapore Cup action continued, with Brunei DPMM defeating Young Lions to go top of Group A while BG Tampines Rovers edged Albirex Niigata (S) to keep close behind. In Group B, holders Lion City Sailors began their Cup defence with a straightforward victory over Tanjong Pagar United while Thai League 1 side BG Pathum United came from behind to hold Geylang International in an enthralling draw. We recap all the action here… 

DPMM’s up for the Cup

Young Lions 0-2 DPMM | Jalan Besar | 15 February

Dāvis Ikaunieks pen. 8', Miguel Oliveira 71'

There was no way back for the Young Lions after Ikaunieks clinically dispatched an early penalty and the victory was duly sealed in the second half with Oliveira rounding Aizil Yazid to apply the finishing touch to a ruthless counter-attacking move. 

Facts

• DPMM have lost all four league games in 2025, but are unbeaten in the two Cup games so far. 

• Young Lions have won just one out of four matches in all competitions in 2025. 

• Ikaunieks have now scored in back-to-back appearances for DPMM.

Young Lions: Aizil Yazid (GK), Raoul Suhaimi (Aqil Yazid 62’), Jun Kobayashi, Ryaan Sanizal (C), Nur Adam Abdullah, Fathullah Rahmat (Danish Qayyum 76’), Kaisei Ogawa, Ethan Pinto (Fairuz Fazli 62’), Kan Kobayashi, Andrew Aw (Ryan Vishal 84’), Amir Syafiz. 

Unused subs: Rauf Erwan (GK), Danish Haqimi, Rasul Ramli, Zaki Jumlan, Danial Crichton. 

DPMM: Kristijan Naumovski (GK), Nazry Aiman, Yura Indera Putera, Damir Muminović, Najib Tarif, Abdul Hariz Herman, Azwan Ali Rahman (C) (Azwan Saleh 88’), Miguel Oliveira, Nazirrudin Ismail (Hariz Danial Khallidden 60’), Gabriel Gama, Dāvis Ikaunieks. 

Unused subs: Haimie Nyaring (GK), Syafiq Safiuddin, Hanif Farhan, Faturrahman Embran, Farshad Noor, Nurikhwan Othman, Wafi Aminuddin.

Red Card – Aqil Yazid (Young Lions) 90’+5 

Stags get off the mark

Albirex 1-2 BG Tampines | Jurong East | 15 February

Arshad Shamim 83' | Arya Tarhani Igami 51', Koki Kawachi O.G. 65'

BG Tampines went two goals ahead with Igami lashing home from the edge of the area, before Kawachi inadvertently diverted Glenn Kweh’s cross into his own net. Arshad pulled one back for Albirex with a deflected shot, but it proved to be too little too late for the White Swans.

Facts

• Albirex are still winless in 2025 after four matches in all competitions. 

• Igami was also on target the last time both sides met at Jurong East in July 2024, albeit for the opposite side in Albirex’s 4-2 league defeat to BG Tampines.

• 16-year-old Helmi Shahrol made his first ever professional appearance for Albirex.

Albirex: Hassan Sunny (GK), Ryhan Stewart, Koki Kawachi, Stevia Egbus Mikuni, Junki Yoshimura, Yohei Otake, Syed Firdaus Hassan (C), Haziq Kamarudin (Daniel Goh 84’), Helmi Shahrol (Arshad Shamim 62’), Naoki Yoshioka, Shuhei Hoshino. 

Unused subs: Dylan Pereira (GK), Zainol Gulam (GK), Syukri Bashir, Syahrul Sazali, Gareth Low, Hilman Norhisam. 

BG Tampines: Syazwan Buhari (GK) (C), Amirul Adli (Irfan Najeeb 90’+1), Shuya Yamashita, Dylan Fox, Miloš Zlatković, Shah Shahiran, Kyoga Nakamura, Glenn Kweh (Taufik Suparno 76’), Arya Igami Tarhani (Joel Chew 65’), Seia Kunori (Yasir Hanapi 90’+1), Itsuki Enomoto.  

Unused subs: Ridhuan Barudin (GK), Amirul Haikal, Kegan Phang, Rae Peh, Kieran Tan. 

A spirited Rabbits comeback

BG Pathum 2-2 Geylang | Jalan Besar | 16 February 

Naqiuddin Eunos O.G. 35', Airfan Doloh 39' | Tomoyuki Doi 5’, 8'

Geylang got off to a flying start, with Doi curling home a free-kick before firing home a low shot as they led by two within the first 10 minutes. However, BG Pathum rallied with Teerapat Pruetong forcing Naqiuddin to clear into his own net before Airfan lashed home a crisp drive to level it up. Both sides then missed a penalty each as the game ended in a draw. 

Facts

• Geylang have now won just one out of five matches in 2025.

• Doi has now reached 40 goals in only 25 appearances in all competitions this season. 

BG Pathum: Saranon Anuin (GK), Santipharp Channgom, Hwang Myeonghyeon, Marco Ballini, Kodai Tanaka (Ilhan Fandi 66’), Kanokpon Puspakom, Nattawut Suksum, Thanet Suknate (Waris Choolthong 78’), Airfan Doloh, Teerapat Pruetong (Kongnat Thuamthongdee 90’+2), Chananan Pombubpha (C) (Ikhsan Fandi 66’).

Unused subs: Jung Hyeon-ho (GK), Nuttawut Wongsawang, Anan Samaae. 

Geylang: Hairul Syirhan (GK), Naqiuddin Eunos, Keito Hariya, Joshua Pereira (C), Akmal Azman (Prince Rio Rifae’l 78’), Huzaifah Aziz, Takahiro Tezuka, Iqbal Hussain (Jake Ellenburger 90’+4), Ryoya Taniguchi, Saifullah Akbar (Naufal Azman 57’), Tomoyuki Doi. 

Unused subs: Rudy Khairullah (GK), Syafi Suhaimi, Raiyan Noor, Nur Ikhsanuddin. 

Holders show their intent

Sailors 4-1 Tanjong Pagar | Bishan | 16 February 

Bart Ramselaar 26', 45'+2, Akram Azman 79’, Abdul Rasaq Akeem 89' | Faizal Roslan pen. 71’

The on-form Ramselaar fired home a deflected shot, before applying the finishing touch on a neat set-piece routine to put the Sailors two goals up at the break. The away side pulled one back through Faizal’s penalty, but former Jaguar Akram then netted from close range to restore the two-goal lead before substitute Abdul Rasaq produced a cool finish off Nathan Mao’s through ball to seal a convincing win. 

Facts

• The Sailors extended their unbeaten run in the Cup to seven matches. 

• Ramselaar has now reached 10 goals in all competitions for the Sailors. 

• Akram netted just his fifth goal of his professional career. 

• Rasaq scored for the first time since September 2024. 

Sailors: Izwan Mahbud (GK), Akram Azman (Hafiz Nor 84’), Lionel Tan, Bailey Wright (C), Ali Alrina (Hariss Harun 6’), Sergio Carmona Pérez, Anumanthan Kumar, Hami Syahin (Nathan Mao 84’), Maxime Lestienne, Bart Ramselaar (Abdul Rasaq Akeem 65’), Lennart Thy. 

Unused subs: Adib Nur Hakim (GK), Shawal Anuar, Maxime Lestienne, Christopher van Huizen, Haiqal Pashia.

Tanjong Pagar: Matthew Silva (GK) (C), Syed Akmal, Timur Talipov, Faizal Roslan, George Lloyd Thomas (Izrafil Yusof 71’), Raihan Rahman, Azim Akbar (Izrafil Yusof 90+1), Shodai Nishikawa (Thorsten Takashi Cross 87’), Rezza Rezky, Tomoki Wada (Sahil Suhaimi 71’), Syahadat Masnawi.  

Unused subs: Riki Kimura (GK), Farid Jafiri, Umar Akhbar, Hariysh Krishnakumar, Saiful Azhar, Marcus Mosses.