Tampines beat Balestier to keep pressure on Albirex in S.League

Tampines Rovers kept up their pursuit of leaders Albirex Niigata (S) with a straightforward 3-1 victory over out-of-sorts Balestier Khalsa at Jurong West Stadium on Saturday night.

Goals from Fazli Ayob, Ryutaro Megumi and Ivan Dzoni put the Stags 3-0 up before Fadli Kamis grabbed a late consolation for Balestier.

The result meant Tampines leapfrogged Home United to go second, closing in within seven points of Albirex.

Jurgen Raab's side created the first opportunity of the night on 13 minutes, with Megumi heading over after Daniel Bennett had flicked on Madhu Mohana's throw-in.

Content to sit back and wait for the counter, Balestier's strategy almost worked in the 32nd minute.

Aung Kyaw Naing was put through on goal by Huzaifah Aziz. But debutant Haikal Hasnol, starting in goal for Tampines due to injuries to Izwan Mahbud and Joey Sim, was quick off his line to smother the loose ball.

Tampines looked more incisive in attack though, and broke the deadlock on 38 minutes.

Released by Dzoni, Megumi tore down the left flank before crossing into the box for Fazli to tap home.

Creator then turned scorer just three minutes later. Megumi produced a good run into the area before firing inside Zaiful Nizam's near post to double the Stags' lead.

Balestier coach Marko Kraljevic reacted by making a double substitution at half-time to bring on Nanda Linn Kyaw Chit and Hanafi Akbar for Jonathan Tan and Kyaw Naing.

Hanafi had a chance to pull one back for the Tigers on 48 minutes, but fired over from the edge of the box.

Tampines would go on to show how it should be done just a minute later. Dzoni fired a beautiful shot into the top right corner from eight yards out after his initial shot was blocked.

The goal killed off any hopes of a Balestier comeback, although they did pull one back through Fadli eight minutes before the end.

The right-back connected well with Kyaw Zayar Win's cross, with Haikal fumbling the headed effort into goal.

That rounded off the night's scoring as the Tigers fell to their sixth straight league defeat to remain seven points adrift of sixth-placed Hougang United.

Tampines Rovers: Haikal Hasnol (GK), Fazli Ayob, Madhu Mohana (Jufri Taha 46'), Fahrudin Mustafic (C), Daniel Bennett, Irwan Shah, Shahdan Sulaiman, Son Yong Chan, Imran Sahib (Jamil Ali 74'), Ryutaro Megumi, Ivan Dzoni (Faizal Raffi 77')

Balestier Khalsa: Zaiful Nizam (GK, C), Fadli Kamis, Ashrul Syafeeq, Hanafi Salleh, Ahmad Syahir, Raihan Rahman, Huzaifah Aziz (Tajeli Selamat 63'), Kyaw Zayar Win, Hazzuwan Halim, Jonathan Tan (Nanda Linn Kyaw Chit 46') , Aung Kyaw Naing (Hanafi Akbar 46')