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Singapore Premier League: Tampines cut Albirex lead to 1 point after 3-0 win

Stags romp to seventh victory of season to move closer to idle league leaders; Sailors lose ground after 3-3 draw

Tampines Rover striker Boris Kopitovic celebrates scoring the opener in their Singapore Premier League match against Tanjong Pagar United. (PHOTO: SPL/Facebook)
Tampines Rover striker Boris Kopitovic celebrates scoring the opener in their Singapore Premier League match against Tanjong Pagar United. (PHOTO: SPL/Facebook)

SINGAPORE — With league leaders Albirex Niigata (Singapore) not in action, second-placed Tampines Rovers took advantage to narrow the gap atop the Singapore Premier League (SPL) with a sparkling 3-0 win over Tanjong Pagar United on Sunday (14 May).

The five-time league champions dominated the match, going ahead in the 24th minute when captain Yasir Hanapi's first-time shot rebounded off a defender and landed fortuitously in front of Montenegrin striker Boris Kopitovic, whose half-volley looped over goalkeeper Kenji Syed Rusydi and into goal.

Things got worse for Kenji in the 79th minute, when his poor clearance landed straight at Tampines' Kyoga Nakamura. The Japanese midfielder eluded Tanjong Pagar captain Shakir Hamzah's tackle before calmly slotting home to extend the Stags' lead.

Substitute Keagan Phang tapped in from close range to complete the scoring in stoppage time, after Shakir was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 88th minute.

Tampines have 23 points from 10 matches after their latest win, and lie one point behind Albirex, who have played one fewer game.

Lion City Sailors held to 3-3 draw

Third-placed Lion City Sailors, however, lost ground in the title chase after a 3-3 draw with Brunei's DPMM FC at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday.

DPMM took an early lead when their Belarusian striker Andrey Voronkov headed home from a corner kick in the fourth minute, but the Sailors equalised 10 minutes later when Diego Lopes latched onto a fine pass by Maxime Lestienne to slam home.

Lestienne - who has been in scintillating form for the Sailors with 10 goals and nine assists for the season - put his side in the lead in the 19th minute. In a role reversal, Lopes turned provider with a brilliant cross for his Belgian teammate, who launched an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Voronkov equalised after 30 minutes, reacting quickest to a loose ball to score from close range. However, Lestienne responded again, running half the length of the pitch before calmly slotting home on the stroke of half-time to give the Sailors a 3-2 lead.

However, the 2021 SPL champions could not hold on for the three points, as Voronkov completed his hat-trick a minute from the end, again reacting quickest to a deflected pass to slam home. The Sailors now lie four points behind Albirex, having played one more game than the defending champions.

Last year's Singapore Cup winners Hougang United finally got off the bottom of the SPL table, ending their eight-match winless run with a 3-2 win over Geylang International at Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday.

Goals from Jordan Vestering (first minute), Gabriel Quak (81st) and Kristijan Krajcek (92nd) gave the Cheetahs only their second win of the season, as Naufal Azman (45th and 87th) got both goals for Geylang.

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