Super-sub Firdaus Idros scores brace as Home United qualify for AFC Cup knockout stage

Story by Koh Yizhe and Jan Lin/Red Sports. Photos by Vanessa Lim and Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports.

Jalan Besar Stadium, Tuesday, May 19, 2009 – A brace from Home United's super-sub Firdaus Idros in the second half gave his side a 3-1 victory over Thailand's Provincial Electricity Authority Football Club (PEA) and saw Home United qualify for the last 16 of the 2009 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup.

In this crucial AFC Cup group tie between Home United and PEA, a victory was necessary to see the home side through to the knockout stage after they went down 0-2 to Becamex Binh Duong FC in their previous group game, while the Thai champions needed only a draw to progress to the next stage.

Playing in front of the home crowd in this do-or-die match, Home United got down to work as early as the 5th minute when De Oliveria got himself into a favourable position but blasted the shot wide. Shi Jiayi then followed up with a shot of his own but his stinging shot went straight into the keeper's arms.

PEA were equally aggressive on the other end while also defending deeply for a draw to go through. Home United survived a scare in the 19th minute when a PEA's corner kick was swung across the face of an open goal but nobody was near enough to slot the ball into the back of the net for the visitors.

The ball was stuck in the midfield, giving both keepers little to do midway through the first half. Home United's Shahril Ishak was a constant torn to PEA's defence with his darting runs down the flank and his probing around the area caused PEA serious problems, which led to the opener of the night.

Ishak had a great chance to give his side the lead five minutes before half-time, but his shot inside the penalty area was blazed over the bar. Minutes later, he was fouled at the edge of the box and Home United drew first blood when Peres De Oliveira curled a superb free kick into the top right corner.

Home United went into the half-time break with a slim 1-0 lead but PEA was clearly hungry for a response once they returned to the field after the break. Home United's coach PN Sivaji had warned his players against giving away cheap free kicks, but that was exactly how PEA found their equalizer.

PEA broke even in the 56th minute with a beautiful solo effort by PEA's Narongchai. Taking a free kick from the edge of the penalty box, the 28-year-old Thai struck the ball into the back of the net through the right bottom corner of the goal post beating Home United's goal keeper Lionel Lewis.

Home United was then forced to push for a winning goal with De Oliveira, Shahril Ishak and Kengne Ludovick in attack. Though the trio combined well, Home United still seemed far from a break through and instead, PEA was looking increasingly dangerous with their successful passes through the midfield.

Eventually, a superb substitution at the 64th minute became the turning point for the home team when Firdaus Idros was brought on for the ineffective Itimi Dickson. It took Idros just three minutes to make his presence felt as he calmly converted a Shi Jiayi's cross in the 67th minute to put his side 2-1 up.

Shi Jiayi was left unmarked on the right wing and had all the time in the world to swing in his cross. The ball brushed Ludovick's head before landing on the fresh feet of Idros, who calmly tapped it past the helpless Umarin. Idros' goal breathed a new lease of life to his side as they started dominating the game.

Shahril Ishak continued his runs down the flank and was unfortunate not to score when he directed his volley straight at the keeper in the 75th minute. With the match heading towards its conclusion, legs of both teams were obviously giving way to lethargy and both teams started leaving gaps at the back.

Home United exploited the spaces left by PEA's defence to unleash a counter-attack effort in the 86th minute when De Oliveira, who received the ball from Ludovic, kept the ball well in possession before threading a pass to the on-rushing Firdaus Idros. With an amazing sprint in-between two center-backs, Idros tucked the ball home to seal a massive 3-1 victory for the host.

"I am very delighted with the performance!" Home United's coach PN Sivaji exclaimed. "They (PEA) are a very good side and had good control and movement throughout the game. The first goal gave us a psychological advantage, which was really important going into half-time."

"He (Firdaus Idros) is a bundle of energy," said Sivaji, "it took him great composure to score the second goal. I think he should be in the SEA games squad. Itimi (Dickson) struggled to make impact on the game, but he works hard and never gives up. But in this game, we could not make full use of him."

"Now, I have a nice problem," confessed Sivaji. "Many of my players are knocking on the door and asking for time to play. For Firdaus, although he hasn't asked me, his performance shows he wants to play. So now I have a delightful problem of choosing my starting eleven."