SAFFC suffer defeat at hands of Suwon Bluewings in AFC Champions League football

By Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports. Photos by Lai Jun Wei and Vanessa Lim/Red Sports.

Jalan Besar Stadium, Wednesday, March 18, 2009 – After enduring a 1-4 defeat by Shanghai Shenhua last week, the Singapore Armed Forces FC suffered yet another setback in their AFC Champions League campaign when they were beaten 0-2 at home by K-league champions Suwon Bluewings.

A controversial handball in the 65th minute by Daniel Bennett (SAFFC, #16) gave Suwon Bluewings a penalty with Brazilian striker Eduardo Goncalves (Suwon, #9) converting from the spot with ease. He struck home again six minutes later when he successfully rounded SAFFC's Kenjia Arai (SAFFC, #3) and Ahmad Latiff (#7) to fire off a shot into the roof of the net.

SAFFC were widely seen as the weakest in Group G, with Suwon coach Cha Bum Kum even leaving behind his team's senior players – Korean international goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae, midfielder Song Chong Gug, forward Kim Dae Eui and former Everton player and Chinese international defender Li Weifeng – back at home and opting for a younger squad in this match up.

But SAFFC still did not have an easy task. Play remained largely within the SAFFC defensive zone in the first half, with Therdsak Chaiman and Aleksander Duric occasionally breaking out of their half to make insignificant attacks. There were several wasted chances, with passes going awry or SAFFC forwards, in particular skipper Duric, getting caught offside. New signing Korean ace Park Tae Won (SAFFC, #18) hardly made an impact, which saw him being substituted off for Mustaqim Manzur (SAFFC, #19) during the second half.

SAFFC custodian Shahril Jantan (#14) had to be called upon to make several spectacular saves. There were many close shaves, particularly in the second half, as Suwon started finding their form. But all the SAFFC efforts came to nothing when they conceded the penalty, which saw the game go downhill from then.

"I think we were doing pretty well until we were dealt with what I think is a very harsh penalty," said SAFFC coach Richard Bok at the post-match conference. "It changed the game a bit. I think it broke a bit of our spirits from then on. But up to that point, I thought again, maybe we can hold up for a draw. But you never know, (the second goal) happened."

The slew of offsides committed by Aleksander Duric definitely did not go unnoticed. "I think if you look at any team from Singapore to play that game, it's not easy whether with Aleks or any other striker," said coach Bok.

"But again our plan was to soak and counter-attack which we did pretty well, soaking well and holding them to a 0-0 scoreline… until again, I mention, a harsh penalty that basically broke the team down."

"But I thought we gave a good account of ourselves and I want to congratulate the team for giving their all, playing to instructions and giving their 100 percent. We did give a good account of ourselves… but I think the officials let us down. That's from my point of view.”

The weather and the artificial pitch were the main problems highlighted by Suwon Bluewings coach Cha Bum Kun for the team's lack of further goals. Standing at the side, he already felt warm and so could understand how warm it would be for the players on the field.

Explaining, he said, "In the first half we couldn't make a goal because (the weather) was a little difficult to get used to, but the second half we managed to get a goal and so we're satisfied."

"They were having a hard time because of the weather so we shifted to a 4-4-2 formation in the second half, making our defence stronger," he added. “Cho Yong Tae (Suwon, #18) was also brought onto the field to beef up the right flank to give the team more chances at goal.”

After the previous game against Kashima, Cho felt that the weather and other factors would exhaust the six senior members of the team and so they were left behind in Korea.

"I'm glad about what I have done and keeping them (in Korea), and bringing the younger ones (to play SAFFC) as they can adjust better to the weather."

Cho's aim was to win by two goals in this game and they delivered. He personally felt that the team could have scored more goals if not for the weather and artificial pitch. He clarified that though the younger Suwon players trained on an artificial pitch, they play their matches on a grass field. Hence, they still needed time to settle into the game.

With regards to the penalty, his view differed very much from Richard. "Definitely we had to get that penalty," he stated. Not only that, he questioned why the main referee did not call it straight away, rather than let the linesman call for it as it he felt it was a clear hand ball by Bennett.

Cho also expressed his views about SAFFC.

"After watching (SAFFC) play against Shanghai, (I felt) it was not going to be an easy game. But it was not a game that we could lose."

Suwon's latest win propels them to the top of Group G with six points whereas SAFFC remain at the bottom with none.

Despite the odds, Richard was just keen to give his best and give the teams a good fight.

"We still got to fight on. We've still got another four games. We got to prepare well and I expect the boys to give nothing less than 100 percent."

More pictures in the gallery.

Related post: John Wilkinson: "We're as ready as we will ever be."