Title Decider #2: Home vs Tampines on 6-Nov!

Crunch time for Home, Tampines
With SAFFC in the driving seat, victory is what both teams are seeking tonight

Tuesday • November 6, 2007
NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2007
Home Utd v Tampines Rovers
Bishan Stadium, 7.45pm
Paul Green sports@newstoday.com.sg

IT COULD well come down to this one match for title contenders Home United and Tampines Rovers.

Both sides meet tonight in an NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2007 match-up at Bishan Stadium, with the season on the line.

After a smooth 3-1 win away to Woodlands Wellington last night, league leaders and defending champions SAFFC are now five points ahead of Tampines and seven in front of Home, although the two chasers have each played 29 games.

While many will hope for a classic at Bishan, this clash of the giants may well turn into a cagey affair, with both teams missing their Singapore stars.

The Protectors will be without the influential Shi Jiayi, Shahril Ishak, Indra Sahdan Daud and goalkeeper Lionel Lewis, while Tampines have lost top scorer Noh Alam Shah, Shariff Abdul Samat, Ridhuan Muhamad and Mustafic Fahrudin, as the Lions prepare for their World Cup second round, first leg qualifier with Tajikistan on Friday at the National Stadium.

Some fans are unhappy at the loss of such big-name players at such a pivotal moment of the season.

"This has been the best league contest we have had for many years, but many fans are becoming disillusioned when they can't see their own team perform at their best," said Roland Seow, chairman of Home's fan club.

"I've spoken to SAFFC and Tampines fans and they agree that important games should be postponed when the national players are not available."

Of the three clubs vying for the title, Home have the toughest run-in — they travel to Balestier next Sunday before hosting SAFFC and finishing away to Geylang. Tampines have home games against Gombak and Albirex Niigata, with a trip to Sengkang Punggol in between.

Besides the home game with Home, SAFFC will play Gombak in their final game, also at Choa Chu Kang Stadium.

Tampines will be buoyed by the return of Brazilian playmaker Peres de Oliveira and former Lions stalwart Zulkarnaen Zainal for the visit to Bishan. Both experienced players missed the 1-1 draw at SAFFC a week ago.

Seow is wary of the Stags.
"Tampines have such committed foreign players and they will make it hard for us," he said.

"If the foreign players were called up by their national teams it would be a different matter. But our own Singapore national players are going to miss out on helping our club win the title at this important stage of the season and that's a shame."