SAFFC ChampionsStraits Times, The (Singapore)
22 November 2007
HomeTHE champagne flowed freely last night for Singapore Armed Forces FC, the newly crowned S-League champions, after their heart-stopping 2-1 win over Gombak United.
So did the accolades, for a side who came out on top after a gruelling 33-game season with 79 points - just one ahead of runners-up Home United, and two ahead of third-placed Tampines Rovers.
'They are deserving winners,' said Home coach Vincent Subramaniam, whose team's 2-1 win over Geylang United at the Bedok Stadium proved to be futile.
His thoughts were echoed by Tampines, who also had nothing to show for their labour after beating Albirex Niigata 3-1 at home.
'They did well,' admitted Tampines team manager Syed Faruk.
The Warriors needed a win to clinch the trophy and, by half-time, it seemed that they had done enough against the subdued visitors.
Goals from Noor Ali (12th minute) and Kenji Arai (21st) had sent couriers scurrying to the Warriors' den at Choa Chu Kang Stadium with the S-League trophy.
They very nearly had to make a U-turn.
A cool 63rd-minute penalty from Agu Casmir planted seeds of doubt in the minds of SAFFC supporters - until news filtered through that Leopoldino dos Santos had cancelled out Indra Sahdan Daud's opener for Home at almost the same time.
But the Bulls of Gombak had their tails up. For the first time, they poured forward in waves as they searched for the equaliser.
Then, with just seven minutes to go, SAFFC striker Norikazu Murakami went down in the Gombak penalty box, clutching his face.
A spot-kick was given and a red card was flashed at Bulls defender Precious Emuejeraye, whose refusal to leave the pitch nearly sparked an ugly free-for-all.
Thankfully, common sense prevailed, though SAFFC's John Wilkinson needed a bigger dose.
The midfielder chose to chip the subsequent penalty over the goalkeeper. In the process, he also sent the ball over the bar, when a cool finish would have sealed the title there and then.
To Gombak's credit, they did not stop attacking till the very end, even with 10 men.
It was only after four minutes of stoppage time, that the exhausted Warriors were finally able to retain the crown. They last achieved the double in 1997 and 1998.
Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, president of the Football Association of Singapore (FAS), presented them with the $150,000 cash prize and winner's trophy.
As SAFFC coach Richard Bok watched the celebrations calmly from the sidelines, the man was already plotting a 'three-peat' next season.
'All season, we have created chances but not scored enough from them,' he observed. 'Next year will be tougher because every team is improving.'
Copyright, 2007, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
