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 forwards may be run ragged if they have to keep tracking back to cover the midfield and defence. In such games, Haiqal Pashia’s freshness off the bench may be our secret weapon. Let’s hope he will be able to marry his promising runs with some end product, and help us out on the biggest stage of all.
Nathan Mao
All aboard the hype train! NATE THE GREAT!
Just kidding, let’s not pile more pressure on the young man’s developing shoulders. That works both on a literal and a figurative level – he is still growing, and we should avoid hyperbolic praise of him only to get disappointed in future if he cannot live up to our own crazy standards.
However, in the limited minutes that Nathan was on, he made a few good touches, and crucially, created two very good chances for Haiqal Pashia. I like that while most youngsters would be tempted to keep the ball safe, and pass it to their more established teammates, Nathan never seems over-awed, and is always taking players on, progressing the ball.
His outside foot pass to Haiqal? *chef’s kiss*
Hami Syahin’s Blockbuster Goal
You may remember this interview we had with Hami 2+ mths ago. It was after the game against Tanjong Pagar United – we won 7-1.
Basically, Hami Syahin knows he scores few goals, and goals do mean a lot to him because he wants to help the team. That goal he’s speaking about came after a brilliant Adam Swandi cross was fizzed in, and he tucked it in at the near post after a rare foray into the opposition penalty area.
Usually, Hami is tasked with keeping the ball moving in midfield, and delegating attacking duties to teammates like Adam Swandi, Maxime Lestienne and Diego Lopes, so this type of opportunity is rarer for him – he seldom gets to run into the box to finish.
However, what isn’t so rare, is a shot from range. I’ve long felt that Hami is quite a gifted technician, so I was abit surprised to see this.
Until his goal against Geylang on Saturday, he had taken a whole bunch of shots (22), and only found the target with 2 shots. I am sure this is a weakness he’d love to address in training, and seeing this one go in with such aplomb makes me confident he can repeat it. Hopefully in the ACL eh, Hami!
Lionel Tan’s Red Card
Well, it can’t all be positive, can it!
Lionel came on as a second half sub, made one or two penetrative passes that I really liked, and then he got sent off.
My instinctive reaction is that it is very very harsh.
My reaction after I have had time to calm down and look at it on replay, is that it is very very very very very very harsh.
I mean, Hariss is clearly the covering defender here. Even if you want to say that Yushi has a clear run straight at goal, my patented line-drawing technology conclusively shows above that he has a much shorter distance to cover. I think perhaps the VAR team doesn’t play enough FIFA. Everyone worth their salt in Weekend League knows that if they give the ball away in midfield, you just need to switch to a covering defender and instead of running straight for the ball, run to where the striker is likely to pose maximum threat.
In my humble opinion, another nonsense decision, one to join the Anu one earlier this year. Luckily for us, the red card did not seem to affect us that much this game.
We will miss Lionel for 2 games in the Singapore Cup though, and that sucks.
Conclusion
On a day of many positives, I will perhaps choose to end on the goal we conceded. Our defending is gonna have to be much better than that if we are gonna get out of our Champions League group.
Till the next article where I bring you all a preview of the Bangkok United tie on Wednesday!
Written by Eddy Hirono
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