Match Preview: Balestier Khalsa vs Hougang United

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The Cheetahs will have an opportunity to exact their Singapore Cup Quarterfinal elimination, when they travelled to the same venue they met ten days ago, on Monday.

Leading 2-0 from a fantastic first leg tie at Hougang, however, the Cheetahs conceded the unwanted two goals in two minutes, and were unable to salvage back the all-inportant goal, thus losing the tie on penalties.

The rough treatment dished out by the Tigers in the 2nd leg had prompted coach Johana Johari to suggest that the Tigers weren’t playing football; they were playing pinball instead.

However, the tie itself have given the Cheetahs a great football lesson to be learnt, and they have the next three games to salvage their season, to avoid the unwanted tag as the side to finish in the bottom two in the S.League.

The Cheetahs will have Mamadou Diallo back, after niggling off an ankle injury before the quarter-final tie. The Guinean played on the second half of the second leg, however, being half-fit for the game and unable to inspire the frontline. His presence, and youngster Jerome Baker is much needed to plunder in the goals, which so far only put in 21 goals in 17 games.

The Tigers will probably put in the same gung-ho performance they have shown in the Singapore Cup at their home ground, where they are undefeated in the season so far. Qiu Li will celebrate his return to the Singapore National Team to inspire his side’s frontline , as well as our custodian Fadhil Salim, who has been called up by Bernd Stange, and will show a string of fantastic saves for Stange to have a selection headache ahead of the game vs Oman on August 14.

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