Geylang coach Hasrin senses an S.League shock
Eagles coach eager to interrupt Japanese outfit's title march
ALBIREX NIIGATA v GEYLANG INTERNATIONAL
(Tonight, 7.30pm, Jurong East Stadium)
They started the season tipped for a return to their former glory days, after assembling one of the more impressive sides in the Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League.
Although 2016 will not be the year when Geylang International reclaim their place at the summit, they still have a say as to where the title will be headed to this season.
Tonight, the Eagles visit Jurong East Stadium to face leaders Albirex Niigata, who hold a four-point lead over second-placed Tampines Rovers with a game in hand.
Victory for Albirex will see them open up a seven-point gap at the top with just four games remaining, making them odds-on favourites to lift the S.League crown for the first time.
Following Brunei DPMM's title triumph last year, local pride is very much on the line once again and Geylang could still play the role of party poopers.
While Eagles coach Hasrin Jailani is aware of the situation, he believes his charges also have extra motivation from the fact that they still have plenty to fight for.
"We all know that DPMM won it last year and, with Tampines still trying to fight it out with Albirex, we can definitely be the spoilers," he told The New Paper.
"But I think our fight for spots between third and sixth is also very tight, so the important thing for us is to focus on ourselves and not think about the rest that much.
"These last four games are very important because fourth could even be enough for an AFC Cup spot and that's the most important thing."
Should the table remain the same from now till the end of the season, Tampines will qualify for continental football, given Albirex are ineligible to represent Singapore.
EQUATION
The second AFC spot usually goes to the winners of the RHB Singapore Cup, but, with Albirex and Tampines to face off in the final, that would go to the next highest eligible team in the league, which would take third place DPMM out of the equation and go to the fourth-placed side.
Geylang, Home United and Hougang United are all currently tied on 28 points, with the Eagles having played a game more, although a win tonight could prove to be crucial for them, given they still have games to come against the other challengers.
Hasrin added: "We're still going to play Hougang and Home, so it's very open.
"Even though we haven't had a game in three weeks, the players have been giving 100 per cent in training and we definitely want to win against Albirex."
Geylang and Albirex are no strangers, having played each other five times in all competition already in 2016, with the Eagles managing one win and two draws in that time.
The lone victory came in the TNP League Cup where Hasrin was missing seven first-team regulars through international duty, further fuelling his belief that they can once again pull off an upset.
"When we won that game without the national team players, it was all through hard work and I've told them we must do the same," explained the ex-Singapore international.
"It all boils down to stopping them from the front and not giving them the space to control proceedings."
"I believe we can cause them problems going forward with our counter-attacks. We know we cannot let Albirex dictate the game or we’ll be in trouble."
- Geylang coach, Hasrin Jailani, on facing Albirex.
S.League leaders Albirex close, but mantra stays the same
Albirex Niigata have lost only four times in all competitions this year.
The finish line is in sight for Albirex Niigata.
Victory at Jurong East Stadium tonight over Geylang International would send them seven points clear at the summit of the Great Eastern-Yeo's S.League, with just four games remaining.
With each passing week, the White Swans take a step closer to becoming the first team to win the treble, having already collected The New Paper League Cup in July and with an RHB Singapore Cup final date with Tampines Rovers to come.
Expectations for Albirex have been high throughout the course of the season, although coach Naoki Naruo has maintained with each passing week that they would not look past the next game.
Considering how well it has worked for them thus far, Naruo insists the approach will not change as the campaign reaches the final stretch.
"We will not think about winning the title," the 41-year-old told The New Paper, yesterday.
FOCUS
"As a young team, we never know when we might encounter a bad patch of form, so it's better for us to just focus on playing our best football in each game.
"As the team being pursued, there is obviously more pressure on us, but this is the chance for us to show the winning mentality required of champions."
The good news for the White Swans is that they have lost only four times in all competitions this year.
The bad news... Geylang were one of the teams to beat them, inflicting a 1-0 defeat in the League Cup.
When asked which areas his charges would have to be wary of tonight, Naruo replied: "Geylang attack fast when they move the ball forward and they also have players with good individual ability.
"We have to make sure we control their speed and we have to be especially careful at the start of the game.
"Although we'll be missing a couple of players (Atsushi Kawata and Tomoki Menda) through suspension, I believe we can overcome this situation together." - GABRIEL TAN
"As the team being pursued, there is obviously more pressure on us, but this is the chance for us to show the winning mentality required of champions."
- White Swans coach Naoki Naruo, on his team
BY THE NUMBERS
4 Albirex Niigata have lost only four times in all competitions this year.
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