Home, SAFFC to battle in Singapore Cup
Defending champions Home United will look to move one step closer to defending their RHB Singapore Cup title on Wednesday when they take on SAFFC in the quarter-finals.
By ESPNSTAR.com staff
The Uniformed Derby rivals face off in the first leg of their last-eight clash at the Bishan Stadium with both sides fresh off the back of morale-boosting victories.
Home, who had gotten the second round of their Great Eastern-YEO's S.League campaign off to a losing start in their 1-0 defeat to Balestier Khalsa two weeks ago, bounced back with a 2-1 victory over Gombak United last Friday.
Goals from Frederic Mendy and Indra Sahdan Daud helped the Protectors to recover from going behind to Mustaqim Manzur's opener, and they are currently two points off the top of the table.
SAFFC, on the other hand, became the first team to beat league leaders DPMM FC at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium last Saturday as they recorded a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Bruneian outfit.
Fazrul Nawaz starred for Richard Bok's men last weekend, as he did against Home earlier this season when both sides played out a 3-3 draw at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium.
Should the Singapore international fire once again alongside strike partner Mislav Karoglan, it remains to be seen how well the Protectors' suspect defence will hold up on Wednesday.
United Football League outfit Loyola Meralco Sparks will take on Myanmar's Kanbawza in an all-foreign encounter at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Thursday.
Kanbawza recorded an impressive 2-1 win over Woodlands Wellington in the last round to seal their progress to the quarters, although they will be in for a tough test against Loyola, who will be looking to put the heartbreak of losing out to Global in the UFL title race behind them with a strong showing in Singapore.
On Monday, league champions Tampines Rovers came from a goal down to beat Albirex Niigata at the Jurong East Stadium.
Yasuhiro Yamakoshi opened the scoring for the White Swans in the 22nd minute when he scored with a stunning 30-yard strike, but Jufri Taha equalised for the Stags shortly after the break, before Ahmad Latiff grabbed the winner 11 minutes from time when he fired past Takuma Ito from close range.
Tuesday's action saw Gombak United throw away their lead in a 2-1 defeat to Hougang United.
Julien Durand nodded the Bulls ahead in the seventh minute but in a stunning burst after halftime, Hougang equalised through Jordan Webb in the 47th minute, before Ante Barac grabbed the win for his side with a deflected drive four minutes later.
RHB Singapore Cup Quarter-final First Leg Fixtures
Monday
Albirex Niigata 1-2 Tampines Rovers
Tuesday
Gombak United 1-2 Hougang United
Wednesday
Home United vs SAFFC
Thursday
Loyola Meralco Sparks vs Kanbawza