September 18, 2023

As mentioned in the preview piece, this game mattered little to us, and so it was interesting to see such a strong lineup. Maxime, Diego, Richairo, all started. Other players you would expect to see start on Wednesday, such as Hafiz Nor, Chris van Huizen, Hariss Harun, and Zharfan Rohaizad played 90min as well. Curiously, Bailey Wright was not on the pitch and also not on the bench, so there may be some doubt as to whether he will be fit to start Wednesday’s game. There were some positives for us to take from this game, so let’s dive right into it. Noone Got Injured + People Got Minutes I think the first positive out of this is that nobody picked up an injury. With the Singapore Cup and the AFC Champions League right around the corner, we are gonna need everyone on board, not just for the numbers, but also for the variety. Long-time followers of the Sailors will know that we have some really good players, but each offers something a little different. Hafiz Nor and Mamat both defend and get down the wing pretty much all game – however Hafiz Nor packs a better shot, while Mamat is perhaps that bit more solid defensively. This is just one example – but I think you get my point. Coach Rankovic will want his full arsenal of talent available to him so he can pick the right weapon for the right game situations. Zivkovic and Lestienne got 45min each – and I think this is your most quintessential “get some minutes under your belt” kind of performance. Neither of them looked anywhere near their flying best, and I really don’t think Geylang had anything to do with it. Subconsciously, I think some players already thought ahead to Wednesday’s crunch tie against Bangkok United, and wanted to make sure they didn’t pick up an injury. Some players on the other hand, probably knew they were not gonna start on Wednesday and so turned in great performances to try and play themselves into the manager’s plans – more on that next. Haiqal Pashia – A Man on a Mission Shoutout to Haiqal Pashia – who I thought really changed the game when he came on. By his own admission in a post-match selfie interview, he should have had a hat-trick. First, when he cut in around the 52nd minute and hit it hard in front of goal, but Hafiz Ahmad did well to save it. Then, late on in the game, Nathan Mao did well to put two chances on a plate for him, but he only managed to score one. It was an energetic performance, and one the team really needed because the first half was very flat. Haiqal’s runs in behind made Geylang’s defence look a bit more unsettled, and when Haiqal’s first shot was well-saved, eventually the pressure told, and when the ball was recycled and played to Chris on the left flank, he whipped in a delightful ball for Shawal Anuar to score with a commanding header. It was a crucial goal that put us level on the scoreboard early in the second half. Perhaps the more recent followers of the Sailors might not know this, but Haiqal Pashia wasn’t always a bit-part player for us. In the 2021 season, except for when he was out injured, he started every game for us. This was in part, due to the rule which required all SPL clubs to start a U23 player and not substitute the player until at least the second half. To his credit, this did not happen all the time, and he was an integral part of the team that won the title for us that year. This season, until the 1-1 draw with Tampines in June, he had only made a single appearance and even then, for only 11 min against Geylang in March. Since June, he has made 9 appearances, although most of them have been as late subs into the game. Not much gametime for him. If you really wanted to see him play more minutes, you would have to watch him in the U21 league, where he is often the main attacker, and has a role of the “veteran” leading the younger boys. I have watched a few of the U21 games, and the pattern for him seems to be that he makes very good runs, and often ends up with good chances, but perhaps he could do a little more with his end product. If he can combine the 2, he’ll be a cracking player. Which is why it is so satisfying to see him score 2 goals in 2 substitute appearances for us. Some may remember the title-winning season where we went into a game with Albirex at Jalan Besar Stadium, and a win would see us seize the title initiative heading into the final few games. It was September, crunch time in the season. In a game where we had to dig deep and defend for long stretches, our threat on the counter-attack was gonna be our main weapon, and so it proved. Midway through the first half, Haiqal Pashia was on the end of a Faris Ramli cross, and he put us 1-0 up, allowing Sailors fans to dream. It was however, also the same game where Haiqal made a similarly good run, was again found by Faris Ramli, and somehow he managed to miss with an open goal to aim at. Eventually Albirex snatched a late equaliser and we thought we lost the title, but Tampines did us a big favour, held them to a draw later in the season, and we were still CHAMPIONS. Oh shit I digressed big time. Point is this – Haiqal Pashia could prove crucial for us in the ACL when we will have to sit deep and defend well, and hit opponents on the counter. I cannot imagine us playing any other way against Jeonbuk, for example. The starting