Geylang United on cloud nine after toppling Singapore Cup defending champions SAFFC

Story by Koh Yizhe and Jan Lin/Red Sports. Pictures by Lai Jun Wei.

Bedok Stadium, Friday, May 1, 2009 - With a report card of seven defeats and a draw against the Singapore Armed Forces FC (SAFFC) since November 2006, Geylang United delivered a 2-1 upset on their ninth attempt and advanced to the quarter-finals of the Singapore Cup.

Defending champions SAFFC did everything but put the ball into the back of the net for 92 minutes, while the Eagles leveraged on a combination of home ground advantage and an unbeaten run in the S.League last month to dismantle the ageing Warriors' hopes of lifting their fifth Singapore Cup.

A jaded SAFFC came into the match looking to recover from a lacklustre week where they picked up back-to-back defeats against Kashima Antlers in Japan and DPMM FC in Brunei.

Traveling fatigue aside, SAFFC were also handicapped by the suspension of John Wilkinson. The absence of the midfielder's clinical finishes was felt throughout the match that saw possession going to SAFFC but not the goals.

SAFFC’s coach Richard Bok had talked about a hat-trick of Singapore Cup before the match, but goals on either side of the half by Yasir Hanapi in the 29th minute and Syed Thaha in the 62nd minute were enough to seal the victory for Geylang United.

Disaster first struck for the defending champions in the 29th minute when Geylang’s Noor Ali threaded a penetrating pass to 20-year-old Yasir Hanapi, who made a deft turn against SAFFC’s Shaiful Esah to slot the ball home.

In an attempt to make amends, Shaiful Esah came close to levelling up for his team in the 37th minute, but his free kick just went wide of the far post. Farhan Farhook almost doubled Geylang's lead just before half-time but his scuffed shot was just wide and the Eagles went into the dressing room with a 1-0 lead.

Much of the same continued in the second half as SAFFC laid siege on Geylang's goal. Latiff and Duric both came close again but they were unable to direct the ball towards goal. With majority of the possession, they were able to create chances, but it was their finishing that let them down.

The Eagles' composed and compact defense also saw off the Warriors' immense threat at set pieces. SAFFC paid the price for careless defending again in the 62nd minute, when Farhan Farook fed a ball through the SAFFC defense to Syed Thaha, who effortlessly chipped the ball over the on-rushing Shahril Jantan.

SAFFC had a chance to halve the lead almost immediately when they were awarded a controversial penalty in the 64th minute. Therdsak Chaiman stepped up for his side, but his weak shot to the keeper's right was easily saved. The 35-year-old Chaiman did eventually make up for the miss by slotting home a consolation goal after a goal-mouth scramble just before the final whistle.

The Warriors had plenty of chances with free kicks around the penalty area, but they just couldn't put the ball into the net. The closest call for goal was in the 89th minute when Park Tae Won appeared to have headed a floating ball over the goal line, but Yazid Yasin was judged to have saved it on the line.

On a frustrating night for the Warriors, the defending champions had a total of ten shots at goal while Geylang had only five, but it is the latter who will now take on Home United in the quarter-finals.

"I think they took their chances, we didn't take ours," SAFFC's coach Richard Bok said. "Although they looked a little tired, like I said, they (Geylang United) took their chances and for us, we didn't. In football, if you don't score, you don't win."

"For now the morale is a little low," confessed Richard Bok when asked about their upcoming game against Shanghai Shenhua in the AFC Champions League, "so we have got a few days to work it out, try to get the morale up. Again, it's not easy, though we've been winning the past few years. But I'll try."