RHB Singapore Cup: Foreigners brace for historic tieGary Koh
info@sleague.com
Loyola Meralco Sparks and Kanbawza FC have history on their minds as the first-ever encounter between these countries at club level awaits in the first leg of the RHB Singapore Cup quarterfinals at Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday evening.
The Sparks, designated as the home team for this match, are fresh coming off the conclusion of their domestic campaign, where they finished third in the 2011-12 United Football League Division One competition last month.
They had to endure seeing their final domestic opponents Global FC clinch the title after holding them to a 1-1 draw at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on 23 June.
As the only Filipino club side still in-season with their Singapore commitments, the Sparks are looking to make amends with another positive result after they upset Geylang United 2-1 after extra time in their preliminary round clash in mid-May.
Team coach Joseph Vincent Santos is backing his compatriots to give their locally-based countrymen, as well as those back home, something to shout about with a positive result in the first leg.
“We are very lucky and thankful to be participating in the Singapore Cup,” said the 37-year-old after the Sparks’ pre-game training session on Wednesday.
“It is an excellent opportunity and we are enjoying every moment of it. It was already an historic occasion for us in the last game as the first club from the Philippines to play in a prestigious overseas competition, and winning our first game here added to that.
“We hope to use this quarterfinal as a platform for us to conclude our season on a positive note, after our disappointment at how we have finished domestically.
“We spent four-fifths of the campaign at the top and were well-poised to take the title, but a massive one-month break robbed us of the momentum as we struggled in our final games.”
Aside from the high-pitched, screaming fans, the majority of whom will be swooning at every bit of footwork by the club’s heartthrob Younghusband and Hartmann siblings, the game has attracted massive interest back in the Philippines as it will be shown live on AKTV.
(forum director's note: it will not be shown live as reported earlier.)The high hopes their countrymen have placed on the club, including those from rival domestic clubs, are not lost on Santos as he hopes his men can at least replicate their heroics against the Eagles.
“We are representing the whole of the Philippines here,” acknowledged the former Philippines international.
“The locals, both in Singapore and back home, have been very supportive and excited ahead of the quarterfinals, and they will be looking to us to do well in Singapore.
“If we do well during the two legs and go further, we can help to sustain the momentum of growth of the game we have seen since the Philippines’ phenomenal performance in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010.”
Phil Younghusband clinched the Golden Boot in the domestic league, netting more than a third of the team’s 66 goals – the most prolific team tally in the United Football League.
Also chipping in with the goals are his brother James and supporting forward Mark Hartmann, with 11 and 12 league goals respectively.
The Sparks have begun their rebuilding for the 2012-13 season in earnest, with the signing of promising local rightback Peter John Fadrigalan from Philippines Navy FC, although he will probably not feature in this match due to registration regulations.
While the status of Philippines international Matthew Hartmann remains unclear due to a long domestic ban hanging over his head, fellow Azkal Chris Greatwich will certainly be absent in this cup tie owing to personal matters overseas.
The hurting Sparks’ determination to make amends for their domestic misses was not lost in opposing coach PN Sivaji, who is hoping to go at least one better this time with Kanbawza after his former club Okkthar United (now known as Hantharwardy United) were eliminated at this stage last year by Hougang United.
The present Myanmar National League co-leaders eliminated Woodlands Wellington 2-1 in the first round of the competition to progress to this stage, and look like favourites to reach the last four.
But the former Singapore national coach is taking nothing for granted ahead of the first leg.
“We have to be mindful that Loyola have some very good players in the Younghusbands and Hartmanns, as well as several speedy players on the flanks,” he cautioned.
Following their comfortable dispatching of the Rams, Kanbawza have embarked on three consecutive wins in the local league to be among the pacesetters alongside Yadanarbon FC.
4-1 and 3-2 home victories over Chin United and Rakhapura United respectively offered a big boost to Kanbawza, before a 2-1 away win at Manaw Myay further consolidated their position.
The Singapore Cup tie marks exactly the Burmese outfit’s first competitive game in a month, as their domestic campaign went into international recess during that period.
It was not the long pause that had the 60-year-old tactician concerned, but his charges’ discipline in keeping their focus on the pitch.
He revealed that the team played two friendly matches and won 4-1 and 4-0 at the expense of Myanmar’s national Under-19 team and Yangon United Reserves respectively.
“We know right now we are in a very good position, but we have not achieved anything yet,” added Sivaji.
“As the cliché goes, we have to take it one game at a time.
“We have gotten some match fitness from these warm-ups and are eagerly looking forward to this game. It is more important we get our mindsets ready for this.
“I am concerned the local players might get carried away in front of their passionate support and play to the crowd. We need to continually emphasise to them on the need to control their tempo and discipline.
“If we can do this over 90 minutes consistently, I will say we have made progress.”
Kanbawza’s players and team officials have also been given a talk by FAS Head of Referees Lai Boon Teck on the Laws of the Game, and Sivaji felt this classroom lesson will benefit the team.
“While we cannot avoid yellow cards as fouls are part and parcel of the game, we need to be careful not to earn unnecessary cautions through silly acts,” he continued.
“Accumulated yellow cards will mean eventual suspension, especially in the crucial stages of the tournament. I believe our players will have learnt in this educational eye-opener on certain aspects of the game.”
While the former national Technical Director will retain the core of the lineup that began impressively against the Rams, Kyaw Zayar Win and Thein Than Win will probably play minimal roles in the first leg.
The duo were recently involved in their nation’s successful but exhausting AFC Under-22 Asian Cup qualifying campaign held on home soil – they advanced at the expense of the Malaysians, the majority of whom are from Ong Kim Swee’s Harimau Muda.
Sivaji could receive some unexpected help from former national team physiotherapist Thomas Pang, who is on their service for the last-eight tie.
The latter, who had recently left Geylang, was in his former employers’ dugout when they were eliminated by the Sparks in the first round.
Though not known for his coaching acumen, Pang has been a diligent observer over the years and could have tips to pass on to Sivaji ahead of this intriguing contest.
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