Noh Alam Shah sees red over Daniel Bennett again as SAFFC top table in S.League football

By Koh Yizhe/Red Sports

Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Saturday, May 9, 2009 - Two penalties, two red cards and six goals: these were the stats at the final whistle as defending champions Singapore Armed Forces Football Club stormed back to the top of the S.League table with a 4-2 comeback victory over Tampines Rovers.

But the victory was marred by Tampines' striker Noh Alam Shah's straight red card after he brought national teammate Daniel Bennett down with what looked like an elbow in the 80th minute.

With Tampines trailing 2-3 following Aleksandar Duric's goal, Noh Alam Shah thought he had equalised a minute later. Instead, the goal was disallowed and he was given a straight red card following a lengthy discussion between the referee and his linesman as he was judged to have elbowed Daniel Bennett out of his way. The national defender lay on the ground in pain, while Alam Shah and his teammates pleaded his innocence with the referee.

This was not the first time the two Singapore players clashed. The hot-headed striker's red card brought back shades of 2007 when he was sent off after kneeing Daniel Bennett on the head in the RHB Singapore Cup final when SAFFC won 4-3. He was slapped with a 7 month ban from domestic football then.

The bad boy of Singapore football was the hero in the opening minutes when he drew first blood for Tampines in the 14th minute against the run of play. Sutee Suksomkit doubled the Stags’ lead with a penalty nine minutes later after Ridhuan was fouled by Mustaqim Manzur. But Aleksandar Duric was brought down by Hassan Sunny almost immediately following the restart and Therdsak Chaiman stepped up to convert the penalty, making the score 1-2.

An own goal by Shariff Samat just after the restart leveled things once again at 2-2 as SAFFC pushed for the lead. Their hope for a victory, however, was dealt a serious blow when Zulfadli Zainal Abidin slid in a challenge rashly and he was given his second yellow card.

Although down to ten men, SAFFC took a shock lead 3-2 in the 77th minute with Aleksandar Duric finishing off a counter attack.

Then came Noh Alam Shah's red card.

Daniel Bennett went down while Alam Shah headed home a cross from the left and what he thought was an equaliser. Referee Abas Daud awarded the goal, but was alerted to the foul by his linesman. After a lengthy discussion, the goal was overturned and Alam Shah was handed his marching orders. Harsh words were exchanged between both groups of players while Noh Alam Shah took his time to walk off the pitch.

Daniel Bennett almost clashed with another national teammate, Qiu Li, after the latter looked to have accidentally tripped Bennett while Tampines desperately tried to equalise. The Singapore defender was heard to be screaming obscenities at the China-born player. Fortunately, the incident came to nothing and both went unpunished.

Aleksandar Duric got his second in the dying moments of the game to put the game to rest, 4-2.

Tampines coach Vorawan Chitavanich felt the defeat was due to his team's lack of mental strength.

"The technical aspect of both teams was the same, but the difference was in the mental strength. We went 2-0 up then became complacent after that. Of course, if the goal was allowed and it was 3-3 it might have turned out very differently. But this is football."

When asked to comment about Noh Alam Shah's sending off, he decline to comment, saying,"I didn't really see it. Even the referee couldn't see it and had to consult the linesman."