Thursday, April 03, 2014
Rampant Stags Claw Back Into AFC Cup Contention
There may have been people out there ready to write off Tampines Rovers chances in the AFC Cup after Kitchee went to Jalan Besar and hit them 5-0 in the first group stage game.
After they travelled to Myanmar and were beaten 3-1 by Nay Pyi Taw they were ready for the last rites out in eastern Singapore for the team that plays in western Singapore.
But credit to the team, they have fought back in impressive style.
A pair from Miljan and one from Closa Gonzales saw Tampines defeat Pune 3-1 and just to show that was no fluke, the Stags went to India and done a better job, defeating them 5-2!
Miljan gave the SLeague champions the lead on five minutes but within 14 minutes they were 2-1 down but an equaliser by Jamil Ali just before half time sent the sides into the break at 2-2.
Second half saw experienced campaigners Alex Duric, with a brace, and Mustafic Fahruddin score to give the Stags an impressive 5-2 away win against bottom placed Pune.
The fixtures don't get any easier with Kitchee in Hong Kong on 8 April likely to be a tough trip if that first game is anything to go by, followed by Nay Pyi Taw at home on 22 April.
Getting anything from unbeaten Kitchee will be a tough ask but with the Myanmar team hosting cellar dweller Pune on the same evening that is what the Stags must aim for if they are to remain alive in the competition.
Defeat in Hong Kong and victory for Nay Pyi Taw will see the Myanmar men go second with a better goal difference leaving everything to play for in the final group game between the two teams.
An exciting campaign but perhaps Tampines will be ruing the first two ties that ended in defeat. But they have turned things around...it would be a shame to see it crumble at the final hurdle.
After they travelled to Myanmar and were beaten 3-1 by Nay Pyi Taw they were ready for the last rites out in eastern Singapore for the team that plays in western Singapore.
But credit to the team, they have fought back in impressive style.
A pair from Miljan and one from Closa Gonzales saw Tampines defeat Pune 3-1 and just to show that was no fluke, the Stags went to India and done a better job, defeating them 5-2!
Miljan gave the SLeague champions the lead on five minutes but within 14 minutes they were 2-1 down but an equaliser by Jamil Ali just before half time sent the sides into the break at 2-2.
Second half saw experienced campaigners Alex Duric, with a brace, and Mustafic Fahruddin score to give the Stags an impressive 5-2 away win against bottom placed Pune.
The fixtures don't get any easier with Kitchee in Hong Kong on 8 April likely to be a tough trip if that first game is anything to go by, followed by Nay Pyi Taw at home on 22 April.
Getting anything from unbeaten Kitchee will be a tough ask but with the Myanmar team hosting cellar dweller Pune on the same evening that is what the Stags must aim for if they are to remain alive in the competition.
Defeat in Hong Kong and victory for Nay Pyi Taw will see the Myanmar men go second with a better goal difference leaving everything to play for in the final group game between the two teams.
An exciting campaign but perhaps Tampines will be ruing the first two ties that ended in defeat. But they have turned things around...it would be a shame to see it crumble at the final hurdle.
Labels: AFC Cup 2014, Tampines Rovers
# posted by Me @ 2:55 PM 
