Football
Teo Teng Kiat 9y

S.League: Protectors struggling to score ahead of Harimau Muda clash

Home United will be bidding to get back to winning ways when they take on Harimau Muda in the Great Eastern Yeo's S.League this Thursday night at Yishun Stadium. 

The uniformed giants have recorded three draws in a row since the league resumed from the festive break, and will be keen to better that streak against the Malaysian youngsters, who are behind them in the table on goal difference.

However, head coach Philippe Aw is aware that the task will not be a straightforward one, against opponents who beat them 1-0 earlier this season in Malacca.

"When we went there, Harimau were not doing very well at that time," he told ESPN FC. "In a way I think we took it easy... then, when we had the chances to finish [them off], we didn't and then we got hit in the last minute when they scored the winner.

"This time round they are in good form well, they are a much better team now, we are not going to take them lightly."

It is indeed true that Razip Ismail's young charges have enjoyed a mini-renaissance, chalking up five wins in their last eight games. Even in their most recent 3-2 loss to the Courts Young Lions, the Young Tigers were done in by mistakes and arguably unfortunate not to share the spoils.

On the other hand, Home last tasted victory in the league in mid-May and urgently need to net three points if they are to get out of their mid-table conundrum.

The inability to put away their chances remains a teething problem for the Protectors, although Aw asserts that the team will retain faith in their approach and gun for a win.

"We all feel we should have won some [of the last four] games but the whole season has been like this -- somehow or rather when we can go two, three goals up, but then we don't convert," he said.

"Or when we should convert one chance to take the lead, but we don't and then out of nothing the opponents just take the lead.

"Of course, I've been saying this for a long, long time. Maybe the only reason is that we don't have a striker that is in the box to finish the chances. Because with regards to Ken [Ilsø], he is not an out-and-out striker actually; he's more like a second striker where he links play and things like that.

"But we still believe in what we are doing, we are still confident about what we train on and what we believe in will sooner or later bear fruit."

While it will be the fifth game in 11 days for Harimau Muda, Aw dismissed any notion of having an advantage in terms of players' freshness, pointing out that Home would be playing their third in eight.

Song Ui-young will continue to miss out as he recovers from a knock to his leg, with Aw unable to call on the suspended Fazli Ayob and long-term injury casualty Noh Rahman. Razip is expected to have a full-strength side, in contrast.

But with Azhar Sairudin netting in each of his last two appearances, Home have a man in good form and Aw hopes the midfielder can continue to help "ease our scoring problems".

"From day one, I've always said that he's one of the best players we have," he asserted. "He's one of the most technical players we have in Singapore. He'll get better and fitter and will play a key part for us."

Home United Probable Lineup: Shahril Jantan, Ang Zhi Wei, Abdil Qaiyyim, R. Aaravin, Sirina Camara, Yasir Hanapi, Juma'at Jantan (C), Stanely Ng, Azhar Sairudin, Kamel Ramdani, Ken Ilsø

Harimau Muda Probable Lineup: Farhan Abu Bakar, Ashmawi Yakin, Syawal Nordin (C), Annas Rahmat, Azrul Nizam Muhammad, Syahrul Azwari, Irfan Zakaria, Adam Nor Azlin, Faizat Ghazali, Arif Anwar, Syafwan Syahlan

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