Tanjong Pagar United 2
Hougang United 2
HGFC Scorers: Shameer Aziq 25′, 28′
Red card: Shahir Hamzah 87′
A resurgent young Jaguar side worked hard and manage to rescue a point for the home side, after being 0-2 down at half time at Queenstown Stadium.
The young Cheetahs badly needed a win, after gaining just two points from a possible nine, and were all out to hide their disappointment after being mauled by the Rams last weekend.
The opening game handshakes was somewhat iconic as brothers Fazli Jaffar and Nazri Jaffar both facing each other and at the same time, captaining their respective sides.
The Cheetahs took a lead after Al-Roshuzairi put Shameer Aziq clear to a one-on-one situation with Jaguars custodian Shamsurin Abdul Rahman. Shameer made no mistake by slotting the ball home coolly to take the visitors the lead.
Three minutes later, the Cheetahs extended their lead after some defensive mix up led Shameer Aziq through with only the goalkeeper to beat. Again he made no mistake by slotting the ball past Shamsurin again. That was the score at half time, with 2-0 in the Cheetahs favour.
The Jaguars came back in the second half clearly the stronger side as they pressed higher to find a way back into the game. Their hardwork then paid off, after a mistake from substitute goalkeeper Ameerul Shafiq.
Ameerul, who came on for Fariz Zulhilmi in the 75th minute, failed to block his near post from an incoming cross from the Jaguars no.26. The ball then trickled in through his near post to bring the Jaguars back into the game.
There were opportunities for Hougang to seal all three points; first Faozi Rossli had ample of time to head in Fazli Jaffar’s cross with only the goalkeeper to beat, but his header went wide. Another chance came from a well timed solo run from Hwang Kok Chang, who laid off the ball to Shameer Aziq. However, the 18-year-old striker fluffed his chance high.
The missed chances were fatal, as Jaguars no.29 finished off a well-timed counter attack by sailing the ball above Ameerul Shafiq and into the net. Hougang then spent the last three minutes with 10-men, after Shahir Hamzah was sent off with a second bookable offence. The Jaguars then searched for a winner, and were almost rewarded after Zulfadhli Emran headed the ball towards the goal, but Hwang Kok Chang delightfully made a goal line clearence to keep the score level till full time.
Hougang United FC line up:
Fariz Zulhilmi (Ameerul Shafiq 75′), Shahir Hamzah (sent off 87′), Aubrey Ang (Lim Wee Kiong 66′), Benedict Chua, Azan Jaya (Nicholas Lee 80′), Al-Roshuzhairi, Hwang Kok Chang, Fazli Jaffar (c), Lau Meng Meng, Faozi Rossli, Shameer Aziq.
