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Monday, September 21, 2015

 

Development Sides Upset SLeague Big Hitters

Warriors missed a big opportunity of closing the gap on SLeague leaders DPMM when they were surprisingly held by Malaysian development side Harimau Muda to a 2-2 draw on Saturday. The draw keeps them in second place, three points behind the Brunei side but still Warriors boast the worst defence in the league having conceded 36 goals this season so far. Fortunately they also have the best strikeforce with 34 goals. Yep, still in negative territory!

I would love to have been a tube of ralgex in the Warriors dressing room at half time as they trailed 2-0 to the Malaysians after the first 45 but they came out for the second half in Melaka revitalised and two goals from Fazrul Nawaz spared their blushes.

Last time out Harimau Muda had been thumped 5-1 by Tampines Rovers so this was a remarkable turnaround by the young team in a short period of time and while the 10-0 disaster against UAE still rankles perhaps this result and the success of the national team in reaching the AFC U16 Championships next year in India may suggest the current gloom is not a permagloom...depending of course on the grizzlies in charge.

Talking Tampines, their efforts to claw themselves back into the title race hit yet another stonewall when they were defeated by Singapore's own developmental side the Young Lions in a game marred by two red cards at the end. Anumanthan Mohan Kumar  hit the only goal of the game on the 16th minute and for all the brickbats that followed their failure to reach the knock out stage of the SEA Games in July coach Jurgen Raab must have been delighted with the discipline his side showed against such an experienced side.

Both sides remain in the bottom half of the table with little hope of escape but results like these are so important for young players' confidence and self belief. They may well get tonked in their next game but they have at least shown what they are capable against top sides.

7 - Harimau Muda 18 6 2 10 21-32 20

9 - Young Lions 17 5 3 9 17-26 18

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