Philippe Aw starts Hougang United coaching stint with win vs. Geylang

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:47 am
Hougang United
Hougang United
Hougang United

The Hougang United reign of coach Philippe Aw got off to the best possible start with a 2-0 victory over Geylang International in the S.League at Hougang Stadium on Monday night.

Japanese playmaker Fumiya Kogure scored midway through the first half, before substitute Iqbal Hussain sealed the three points with a late goal.

Geylang started off brightly, with midfielder Shahfiq Ghani unleashing a fierce free kick from a tight angle on 10 minutes which forced Hougang goalkeeper Khairulhin Khalid to tip over.

However, Hougang broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. 2015 S.League Player of the year Kogure expertly took down a M. Anumanthan right-wing cross, shifted past his marker before firing home a low shot inside the box.

Despite getting a touch to it, Geylang custodian Syazwan Buhari was unable to stop the leather from trickling over the line.

The Cheetahs could have ended the first half two goals up, but skipper Azhar Sairudin was unable to keep his speculative left-footed volley down.

Geylang regrouped after the break and went agonisingly close to levelling matters on 54 minutes.

Shawal Anuar rounded Khairulhin via Shahfiq's raking long ball and looked set to convert. But Hougang centre-back Zulfahmi Arifin retreated in the nick of time to clear off the line.

With things still going their way by the hour mark, Geylang coach Hasrin Jailani opted to switch things around by bringing Nor Azli Yusoff on for Gabriel Quak. The substitute took Anders Aplin's spot at the back, with the latter pushed upfront to add more bite to their attack.

The Eagles kept pushing forward in the dying stages and almost got their reward on 86 minutes. Costa Rican forward Victor Coto broke free in the box, but his resulting snapshot was denied by a superb Khairulhin reflex save.

Hougang duly produced a lightning breakaway thereafter, with Spanish forward Pablo Rodriguez releasing Iqbal with a superb outer-foot pass.

The substitute -- on the pitch for just 14 minutes -- strode onto the ball, before calmly slotting past Syazwan in a one-on-one opportunity to seal the three points for the Cheetahs.

Meanwhile at Bishan Stadium, Home United showed their title credentials by thumping Garena Young Lions 6-1.

Hougang United: Khairulhin Khalid (GK), M. Anumanthan, Atsushi Shirota, Zulfahmi Arifin, Nazrul Nazari, Syahiran Miswan, Afiq Noor (Gareth Low 89'), Ariyan Shamsuddin Malik (Fareez Farhan 58'), Fumiya Kogure, Azhar Sairudin (C) (Iqbal Hussain 72'), Pablo Rodriguez Aracil

Geylang International: Syazwan Buhari (GK), Faritz Hameed (C), Anders Aplin, Yuki Ichikawa, Al-Qaasimy Rahman, Shawal Anuar, Shahfiq Ghani, Safirul Sulaiman, Gabriel Quak (Nor Azli Yusoff 70'), Victor Coto, Amy Recha (Hairey Jamal 79')