Singapore giants Tampines Rovers won't be scarred by Tuesday's 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Albirex Niigata (S), according to head coach Akbar Nawas.
The Japanese outfit breezed into Saturday's final of the Singapore League Cup against Brunei DPMM after a one-sided semifinal at Jurong East Stadium.
The two rivals are also vying for the S.League crown -- Albirex hold a four-point lead over Tampines after 16 games -- but Akbar says the drubbing won't affect the title race.
"There won't be any psychological blow from that result," Akbar told ESPN FC. "With 10 players missing because of national duty and injuries, we played a completely different side to the S.League."
Among the wounded is ex-Liverpool and Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant, who was absent from the entire League Cup campaign with an Achilles problem. But Akbar says that the Englishman was wrapped in cotton wool so he could be fit for the resumption of the S.League on Aug. 4 against Geylang International.
"I thought about playing him in the League Cup campaign but we didn't want to take any chances," Akbar said.
Pennant's combination with fellow imports Jordan Webb and Billy Mehmet is one of the reasons that Tampines went on an eight-match winning streak in all competitions when Akbar took over from now national boss V. Sundramoorthy at the end of May.
The 33-year-old will be a key figure when the Stags face India's Bengaluru FC over two legs in the quarterfinals of the AFC Cup in September, with a potential semifinal against holders Johor Darul Ta'zim, of Malaysia, to follow. Akbar says Pennant will return to a free role within the team, but alternating with Jordan Webb and other attacking players.
"Jermaine has been a joy to work with and a joy to watch," said 40-year-old Akbar, a lifelong Liverpool fan.
"There's no airs or graces about him, he's humble and he listens to what you've got to say. In my opinion, he's on the way to becoming the best ever foreigner in the S.League."
Tampines' resources were stretched during the Singapore League Cup, giving an opportunity to many of the club's younger players, including Akbar's 17-year-old son, Saifullah Akbar, a midfielder who's represented Singapore's age group teams. He and 20-year-old forward Gautam Selvamany did well enough to be considered for inclusion in the Tampines squad once the big names come back.
"Last season, Tampines didn't even get out of the group stages of the Singapore League Cup so it was a good effort by the youngsters to get to the semifinals this year," Akbar said.
"The 4-0 scoreline was disappointing but we did what we could with what we had against a very good Albirex side who deserved to win. But I'm very happy and grateful with the way the youngsters played during the League Cup campaign when they were made to start big games instead of just getting 15 or 20 minutes at the end."
Tampines captain Mustafic Faharudin returned to action on Tuesday night, having missed the previous League Cup matches because of family reasons.