Groans of frustration could be heard from the home section of Jalan Besar Stadium after the conclusion of an edgy 4-4 draw between the hosts Geylang International and their opponents Balestier Khalsa last Sunday (July 28).
Many in the Eagles faithful thought that the game was already wrapped up in their favour, when Vincent Bezecourt struck his team's fourth goal with 12 minutes to go. But it was Tigers left winger Ignatius Ang who had the final say in the match as he sneaked past the defence and poked the ball into the net from close range.
The Geylang fans who were watching at the stadium as well as on live broadcast were baffled on how their beloved team ended up sharing the spoils with Balestier, despite having a three-goal lead plus a man advantage with half an hour left to play.
But perhaps the Eagles' predicament was not that surprising as a similar situation also panned out not too long ago. In June this year, the fallen Singaporean giants let slip a 3-1 lead to eventually draw three-all to a 10-man Brunei DPMM.
For long-time supporter Adam Yeo, he believes that the third-placed side should not dwell too much on the latest setback. "The team needs to move on from it and focus at each game one at a time."
Looking ahead at the challenges to come on an optimistic note, Adam believes the never-say-die attitude from the players will help the team overcome any odds. "We may not have won in the last two games, but we showed plenty of fight in us to do our best in the full 90 minutes on both occasions."
Indeed, head coach Noor Ali and his charges will have a chance for a quick redemption when they face fierce rivals Hougang United this Friday (August 2).
"We can get the three points for the next match. I have full faith in Geylang!" declares diehard supporter Eugene Au proudly.
His fellow fan Adam has a more circumspect view on the Eagles' chances. He shares, "Even though we have beaten Hougang United earlier in the season, we need to approach the game professionally and ensure we secure victory so as to put pressure on Tampines and Sailors at the top of the table."
In fact, the forthcoming fixture is far from a straightforward affair, in view of how that previous encounter between both sides had unfolded. Geylang - as often happened this season - almost saw their comfortable three-goal winning margin being wiped out by a late Hougang onslaught. Fortunately, they had Zikos Chua to thank for, as his brace and an assist were instrumental in helping his team storm to an emphatic 6-2 victory.
Given the fragility of the Eagles backline that had resulted in the club leaking goals and at times dropping points from winning positions, it is mightily important for Noor to whip his defence into a compact shape, so that every goal scored by Tomoyuki Doi and Co at the other end of the pitch would not be in vain.
Team news: Noor Ali welcomes the return of no-nonsense left back Shakir Hamzah, after the latter had completed serving his one-match suspension. With Akmal Azman unconvincing in that role in the previous match against Balestier, Shakir's experience and his committed play will help shore up the left side of defence.
In another boost for the club, Ryoya Taniguchi is making good progress from the shoulder injury he suffered in the derby on July 24. The coaching staff are trying their best to have him available for the Cheetahs clash.
Also in doubt is the participation of Iqbal Hussain who was forced out of the previous fixture after picking up a concussion.
Player to watch: Rio Sakuma - The Japanese centreback - who has been a reliable rock in defence since he joined the club in 2022 - was uncharacteristically error-prone in the latest clash with Balestier. His two mistakes - a slip-up while challenging for the ball followed by a clumsy tackle that resulted in a penalty - were to prove costly, as the Tigers were able to exploit and got themselves back into the game. With a backline shorn of organisation throughout the season, fans are looking at the vice-captain to take command and maintain a tight defence.
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